Johnson raises COVID rules in England as Omicron waves “soar” | Coronavirus pandemic News

The British Prime Minister has said that face masks will not be mandatory in public places and that COVIDs will be removed for major events.

Face masks will not be mandatory in public places and schools in England and COVID-19 passports will be removed for major events as infections spread to large parts of the country, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said.

Johnson told lawmakers that the cuts were being eased because government scientists believed the rise in infections was likely. a highly contagious Omicron variant “He’s now at the top of the nation.”

While hospitals in the north of England are still under pressure because of the high case load, Johnson said patients in other parts of England are being stabilized or declining in hospital hospitals and intensive care units.

“Many European nations have experienced more winter blockades … but this government has taken a different path,” Johnson told lawmakers, saying the government had taken the toughest decisions well and was lowering the number of people attending intensive care.

“Our scientists believe that Omicron waves are likely to peak now … because of the extraordinary promotion campaign, the way citizens respond to Plan B measures, we can return to Plan A.”

The government will not recommend people to work from home and from next Thursday, it will not be necessary for COVID-19 mandatory passes to enter large-scale events.

Mandatory masks will also be removed from classrooms from Thursday, and from next week they will not be legally required anywhere in England.

“We will rely on the judgment of the British people and we will no longer criminalize anyone who chooses not to dress,” Johnson said.

SEE LIVE: My statement @HouseofCommons about coronavirus https://t.co/z9d8FbTElU

– Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) January 19, 2022

Restrictions were imposed in December to slow the rapid spread of the Omicron variant and gain time for the population to get a booster vaccine.

Johnson said on Wednesday that more than 90 per cent of people in the UK over the age of 60 had a booster shot. Official figures show that COVID-19 infections have fallen in most parts of the UK for the first time since early December, with 94,432 new positive cases registered on Tuesday.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have continued to take their own anti-coronary measures in general, with tougher restrictions, but have also begun to mitigate them.

Scientists have warned that cases could still rise if people’s behavior returns quickly.

“In the face of very high levels of infection, there is a risk of the removal of Plan B measures,” Lawrence Young, a University of Warwick virologist, told Reuters.

“Perhaps it would have been wiser to wait another couple of weeks before the advice to work from home and the order to cover your face was removed. There is no guarantee that the level of infection will continue to fall.”

The infected continue to have a five-day self-isolation requirement, but Johnson said the measure will also be completed in the coming weeks. He said that while the self-isolation rule expires on March 24, he will try to rule it out earlier if they continue to improve the virus data.

“As Covid becomes endemic, we will need to replace legal requirements with advice and guidance, urging people with the virus to be careful and respectful of others,” he said.

The UK has the second worst death rate in Europe after Russia, with more than 153,000 virus-related deaths confirmed.