UK PM announces expiration of strict Plan B Covid restrictions

London, Jan 20 (IANS) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that next week will see the end of Plan B Covid restrictions, which include mandatory rules for mask-wearing, vaccine certificates and guidance to work from home.

Addressing the House of Commons, Johnson said that the legal requirement on people with coronavirus to self-isolate would be allowed to lapse when the self-isolation regulations expire on March 24, and that date could be brought forward, reports Xinhua news agency.

In addition, the Prime Minister announced an immediate end to the need for pupils to wear masks at secondary schools, but said the government will still suggest the use of face coverings in cramped or crowded spaces.

Restrictions on care home visits will also be further eased, with the changes to be set out in the coming days.

However, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has said face masks will still be needed for travellers on Transport for London services, despite the Prime Minister’s earlier announcement that mandatory mask-wearing will be scrapped from next week.

Latest data shows the Omicron wave has “peaked nationally” and hospital admissions in London are falling, Johnson said.

Britain registered 108,069 new Covid-19 infections, bringing the total number of cases in the country to 15,609,993, according to official figures.

The country also reported a further 359 fatalities, raising its national death toll to 153,376.

More than 90 per cent of people aged 12 and over in Britain have had their first dose of vaccine, over 83 per cent are fully inoculated and some 63 per cent have received a booster.

–IANS

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