Scientists are split on the policy change
Number 10 is reportedly putting together plans to end the remaining Plan B restrictions in March, meaning face masks could soon be a thing of the past.
A senior source within Downing Street claimed they were looking to end the mandatory self-isolation period for those who test positive, reports the Guardian. The rules, which have been described as “perverse” for the long term, could be abolished and replaced with guidance.
We need to remove all Covid restrictions as hospital and ICU figures have remained stable as a result of high levels of vaccination and natural immunity. Hospitality businesses should now be allowed to operate as normal & the use of the covid pass should be abandoned.
— Willie O'Dea (@willieodeaLIVE) January 17, 2022
The government is set to backtrack on working from home and covid passports this week – but rules surrounding face masks in shops and public transport are expected to remain in place for a short while longer.
“There’s a few legal powers still on the statute book, not least the requirement to self-isolate. At some point we will have to address them,” the source claimed.
No one knows what’s coming next with Covid. The virus is adapting. We must adapt too—and get comfortable with guidance changing as the situation changes. Right now, we must take simple actions to protect health care and shield the vulnerable: vaccinate, boost, mask up.
— Dr. Tom Frieden (@DrTomFrieden) January 17, 2022
A further two sources said covid passports and working from home were “unlikely to continue” past January 26, with mask mandates still in effect. It is also likely that Number 10 will lift covid testing for those citizens returning from abroad.
The scientific community is split on the decision, with some saying it’s the next logical step and others claiming it could create more pressure for the NHS.
The UK will be one of the first countries to reach the end of the pandemic according to the @WHO
Thank you to everyone who has developed, delivered and taken up the vaccine to get us to this pointhttps://t.co/juZjElpkMX
— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) January 17, 2022
Prof Azra Ghani, an epidemiologist at Imperial College London, said that mandatory self-isolation is still vital in the continued response to the pandemic.
“The widespread availability of lateral flow tests that enable self-isolation has undoubtedly been one of our strongest responses to the Covid-19 pandemic,” they said. “We should therefore see this as an opportunity to enhance our public health response to other serious diseases rather than to downgrade our Covid response.”
We’ve started to lift the Omicron related restrictions today! https://t.co/I4FiPBfj5K
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) January 17, 2022
They added: “Such an approach would, in addition to saving lives, reduce the annual winter burden of respiratory illnesses on the NHS, freeing up space and resources to focus on other health needs.”
In contrast, Professor Rowland Kao of the University of Edinburgh said the change was inevitable. He added that “so long as it’s with guidance from the state of the epidemic in the UK, it doesn’t seem unreasonable”.
He continued: “Flu season should be largely over, and hopefully by then we’ll also get a sense of how much antivirals are helping to reduce severity.
“In general, we also might expect less mixing indoors and circulating natural immunity should be very high at that point.”
It is expected that an official announcement of some kind will follow this week.
Related links:
- Wearing a face mask makes you more attractive, according to study
- Expert says cloth masks are ‘useless’ in fight against Omicron
- Man forced off flight for wearing thong as face mask
