In a statement in the House of Commons this yesterday Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlined the UK Government’s plan for living with COVID-19

The Prime Minister said that the UK Government will continue to work closely with the Devolved Administrations, but the ongoing approach for England will be around four principles:

Changes at a glance

From 21 February the Government is:

• Removing the guidance for staff and students in most education and childcare settings to undertake twice weekly asymptomatic testing.

From 24 February the Government will:

• Remove the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test. Adults and children who test positive will continue to be advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for at least 5 full days and then continue to follow the guidance until they have received 2 negative test results on consecutive days.
• No longer ask fully vaccinated close contacts and those aged under 18 to test daily for 7 days, and remove the legal requirement for close contacts who are not fully vaccinated to self-isolate.
• End self-isolation support payments, national funding for practical support and the medicine delivery service will no longer be available.
• End routine contact tracing. Contacts will no longer be required to self-isolate or advised to take daily tests.
• End the legal obligation for individuals to tell their employers when they are required to self-isolate.
• Revoke The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (No. 3) Regulations.

From 24 March, the Government will:

• Remove the COVID-19 provisions within the Statutory Sick Pay and Employment and Support Allowance regulations.

From 1 April, the Government will:

• Remove the current guidance on voluntary COVID-status certification in domestic settings and no longer recommend that certain venues use the NHS COVID Pass.
• Update guidance setting out the ongoing steps that people with COVID-19 should take to minimise contact with other people. This will align with the changes to testing. COVID-19
• No longer provide free universal symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public in England.
• Consolidate guidance to the public and businesses, in line with public health advice.
• Remove the health and safety requirement for every employer to explicitly consider COVID-19 in their risk assessments.
• Replace the existing set of ‘Working Safely’ guidance with new public health guidance.

The ongoing approach for England will be around four principles, including:

1. The removal of all domestic restrictions in law
2. Continuing to protect the most vulnerable with targeted vaccines and treatments
3. Maintaining resilience, ongoing surveillance, contingency planning and the ability to reintroduce key capabilities such as mass vaccination and testing in an emergency
4. Securing innovations and opportunities from the Covid-19 response, including investment in life sciences

You can see a copy of the full plan here.

Correct as of 22 February 2022