Boris Johnson lifts remaining COVID restrictions in England | PBS - Jill Lawless, Associated Press:
February 21, 2022 - "British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday that he is scrapping the last domestic coronavirus restrictions in England, including the requirement for people with COVID-19 to self-isolate, even as he acknowledged the potential for new and more deadly variants of the virus.
"Johnson told lawmakers in the House of Commons that the country was 'moving from government restrictions to personal responsibility' as part of a plan for treating COVID-19 like other transmissible illnesses such as flu.
Johnson speaking at press conference, July 2020. Wikimedia Commons
"'We now have sufficient levels of immunity to complete the transition from protecting people with government interventions to relying on vaccines and treatments as our first line of defense,' Johnson said. Johnson confirmed that mandatory self-isolation for people with COVID-19 will end starting Thursday, and the routine tracing of infected people’s contacts will stop. People will still be advised to stay home if they are sick — but will no longer get extra financial support introduced during the pandemic for those who miss work....
"Starting April 1, lab-confirmed PCR tests for the virus will be available free only to older people and the immune-compromised. The government will also stop offering the public free rapid virus tests, though they will be available privately for a price, as is already the case in many countries....
"The government plan foresees vaccines and treatments keeping the virus in check. Everyone 75 and older will be offered a fourth vaccine dose, along with those 12 and up who have conditions that make them vulnerable to severe disease. The government said it will accept recommendations from its vaccine advisory group on whether fourth shots should be offered more widely.
"'We don’t need laws to compel people to be considerate to others … So let us learn to live with this virus and continue protecting ourselves and others without restricting our freedoms,' Johnson said.
"The leader of the opposition Labour Party, Keir Starmer, said the government’s approach would leave Britain vulnerable. Some scientists also said removing all restrictions was a risky move that could bring a surge in infections and weaken the country’s defenses against more virulent future strains.... The government said it would retain a strong surveillance system, including the Infection Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics, which is considered invaluable because it tests people whether or not they have symptoms. It said it also will keep the ability to ramp up testing if needed.
"Johnson’s Conservative government lifted most virus restrictions in January, scrapping vaccine passports for venues and ending mask mandates in most settings apart from hospitals in England.... A combination of high vaccination rates in the U.K. and the milder omicron variant meant that easing restrictions last month didn’t lead to a surge in hospitalizations and deaths. Both are falling, though the U.K. still has Europe’s highest coronavirus toll after Russia, with more than 160,000 recorded deaths."
Read more: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/boris-johnson-lifts-remaining-covid-restrictions-in-england
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