This is part of a plan to “live with COVID”, which also includes a reduction in testing for the coronavirus.
Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of Boris Johnson, stated that lifting all legal restrictions imposed to stop the spread of the virus would allow people in the U.K. to “protect themselves without restricting their freedoms.” He will be presenting details of his plan to Parliament on Monday.
Johnson said that while Johnson is not suggesting we should abandon caution, now is the time for everyone to regain their confidence,” Johnson stated to BBC Sunday in an interview.
“We believe you can shift the balance from state manipulation away from banning some courses of action and forcing certain courses of actions in favor of encouraging individual responsibility.”
However, some government scientists warned that it could lead to an increase in infections and weaken the country’s defenses against future viruses.
Wes Streeting, a health spokesperson for the main opposition Labour Party Party, accused Johnson “declaring victory prior to the war is over.”
The news that Queen Elizabeth I was positive for COVID-19 on Sunday served as a reminder of the widespread nature of the coronavirus. Buckingham Palace stated that the monarch, aged 95 years old, was suffering from mild, cold-like symptoms.
Johnson’s Conservative government removed most virus restrictions in January. also scrapped vaccine passports for venues. And ended mask mandates in all settings except hospitals in England. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have also opened their doors, though more slowly.
Due to the combination of high vaccination rates in Britain and milder omicron variants, there has not been an increase in deaths or hospitalizations. Both are declining, but the U.K. still has Europe’s highest coronavirus death toll, surpassing Russia’s 160,000 deaths.
In Britain, almost 85% of those aged 12 and older have received two doses of vaccines and nearly two-thirds have received a third booster shot.
The Conservative government now says it will eliminate all domestic COVID regulations restricting public freedoms as part of its “move away government intervention to personal accountability.”
The requirement to isolate for at most five days following a positive COVID-19 testing result will be replaced by advisory measures. As the virus becomes more widespread, the coronavirus can be treated more like the flu.
The new plan will provide vaccines and treatments to keep the virus under control. However, the government stated that surveillance systems and contingency plans would be kept in place if necessary.
Johnson stated that COVID will not disappear suddenly. Johnson suggested that we must learn to live with the virus and continue to protect our freedoms without restricting them.
Many Conservative Party lawmakers will be pleased with the announcement. They argue that the restrictions are inefficient and excessive. Johnson could be bolstered by the announcement, which will also help party lawmakers who were considering trying to get rid of him due to scandals such as lockdown-breaching governments parties during the pandemic.
Scientists stressed the fact that there is still much to learn about the virus and that future strains could be even more dangerous than the current dominant omicron strain.
The New and Emerging Virus Threats Advisory Group advises the government and said last week that the notion of viruses becoming milder is a common misconception. Future variants could prove more severe or evade existing vaccines.
The government’s Epidemic Modelers warned that “a sudden change such as the end of testing or isolation could lead to a rapid epidemic growth return” if people don’t take cautionary measures.
Scientists cautioned against the discontinuation of free rapid coronavirus testing, which were distributed in large numbers during the pandemic. Officials from the health sector say mass testing played an important role in slowing spread of the virus.
Scientists also worry that the government may end the Infection Survey by the Office for National Statistics. This survey is invaluable as it determines whether people have symptoms.
Matthew Taylor, chief executive at the NHS Confederation (an umbrella group representing state-funded British health authorities), stated that “this is not the right time to take chances.” “We must operate in an evidence-based, incremental manner.”
