UK’s Boris Johnson to scrap Covid-19 restrictions

People in Britain who are infected with Covid-19 will be free to use shops, public transport and go to work

The UK has reported more than 161,000 Covid-19 deaths, the second-highest in Europe after Russia

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Commuters, some wearing face coverings due to Covid-19, crowd into a tube train in London. Photo: AFP

Published: 8:33am, 21 Feb 2022Updated: 10:15am, 21 Feb 2022

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Monday set out plans to scrap coronavirus restrictions as part of a “living with Covid” strategy that aims to achieve a faster exit from the pandemic than other major economies.

As Hong Kong builds isolation units and Europe retains social distancing and vaccine rules, Johnson will announce the repeal of any pandemic requirements that impinge on personal freedoms, a day after Queen Elizabeth tested positive for the virus.

Under the plans, which have been in the works for weeks, Britain will become the first major European country to allow people who know they are infected with Covid-19 to freely use shops, public transport and go to work.

Johnson said on Sunday he did not want people to “throw caution to the wind” and there was no case for complacency, but the vaccine roll-out meant the government wanted to move from state mandation to encouraging personal responsibility.

Among adults, 81 per cent have been boosted in England.

“Today will mark a moment of pride after one of the most difficult periods in our country’s history as we begin to learn to live with Covid,” he said in a statement ahead of Monday’s announcement to parliament.