The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson has announced in the House of Commons Monday that all remaining legal Covid-19 curbs in England – including the requirement to self-isolate after testing positive – will be lifted in England from Thursday.
Johnson said for his Covid plan, England will be “moving from government restrictions to personal responsibility” and that Covid tests will no longer be free except for only those over the age of 80.
Johnson said that it was time to scale back the testing operations, noting that it had cost the government more than the entire Home Office budget in 2021/2022. He said that the cost of testing kits to the government was £2 billion in January – a figure which he believed was unsustainable henceforth.
The prime minister also announced a vaccine booster campaign, starting in the spring, which will be open to the most vulnerable people in the community.
In a press statement before the announcement, Johnson said it was a proud moment to scrap the restrictions.
“The pandemic is not over, but thanks to the incredible vaccine rollout we are now one step closer towards a return to normality and finally giving people back their freedoms while continuing to protect ourselves and others,” he stated.
The PM praised the NHS, scientists, and the British people for getting to the point where Covid-19 measures could be dropped.
The move comes despite widespread condemnation from the political opposition and the UN, and just one day after it was confirmed that Queen Elizabeth II was suffering from Covid-19. The 95-year-old is said to be only experiencing “mild cold-like symptoms.”
