Boris Johnson confirms all remaining covid restrictions will be scrapped on Thursday

From Thursday all rules will end

Boris Johnson has confirmed that all remaining covid restrictions are to be scrapped. Speaking in the House of Commons on Monday, the Prime Minister said from Thursday the legal requirement to self-isolate after a positive test will end, and free symptomatic and asymptomatic testing will end from 1 April. Johnson announced the end of the UK's covid restrictions, as he set out the government's plan for "living with covid". Vaccinated contacts of positive cases will no longer be asked to test for seven days, the PM said, and there will no longer be a legal requirement for close contacts who are not vaccinated to self-isolate. Contact tracing will also end. On 24 March, the government will remove the covid provisions attached to statutory sick pay. After 1 April, free testing and interventions will end, but Johnson said the government will continue to provide free tests for symptomatic people for the oldest age groups and those who are most vulnerable.

He added that the government will work with retailers to ensure everyone who wants a test can buy one.

The changes will be subject to approval by Parliament.

Johnson will set out the new rules in a news briefing around 7pm where he will be joined by chief medical officer for England, Professor Sir Chris Whitty, and chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance.

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