# Betting Omicron has peaked, Johnson drops COVID rules in England
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-01-19
Category: NEWS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news
Meta Title: Boris Johnson Ends COVID-19 Measures in England
Meta Description: Boris Johnson announces end of COVID-19 measures in England, opting to live with virus after Omicron peak. Plan B regulations lifted, a cautious step towards
URL: https://financedigest.com/betting-omicron-has-peaked-johnson-drops-covid-rules-in-englandhtml

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By Alistair Smout

LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the end of COVID-19 measures introduced to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in England as he looks to live with the virus after a peak in cases.

Johnson’s light touch approach to dealing with the highly transmissible Omicron variant saw him introduce work-at-home advice, more mask-wearing and vaccine passes to slow its spread, stopping short of more onerous restrictions seen globally.

While cases [soared to record](https://www.financedigest.com/equinor-posts-record-profit-boosted-by-soaring-gas.html "Equinor posts record profit boosted by soaring gas") highs, hospitalisations and deaths have not risen by the same extent, in part due to Britain’s booster rollout and the variant’s lesser severity.

Johnson’s pledge to avoid lockdowns and [live with the virus contrasts with a zero tolerance approach to COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/freedom-day-sydney-reopens-as-australia-looks-to-live-with-covid-19.html "‘Freedom Day’: Sydney reopens as Australia looks to live with COVID-19") in China and Hong Kong, and tougher restrictions in many other European countries.

Many nations across [Europe have endured further winter](https://www.financedigest.com/europe-experienced-second-warmest-winter-on-record.html "Europe experienced second-warmest winter on record") lockdowns… but this government took a different path,” Johnson told lawmakers, [saying the government had got the toughest decisions right and that numbers going into intensive care were falling](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-house-prices-stabilise-after-four-month-fall-halifax-says.html "UK house prices stabilise after four-month fall, Halifax says").

Our scientists believe it is likely that the [Omicron wave has now peaked nationally..](https://www.financedigest.com/france-halts-british-visitors-eu-nations-tighten-borders-as-omicron-rises.html "France halts British visitors, EU nations tighten borders as Omicron rises"). because of the extraordinary booster campaign, together with the [way the public](https://www.financedigest.com/easycat-moves-to-public-beta-changing-the-way-businesses-market-their-products-and-do-business-one-catalog-at-a-time.html "EasyCat moves to public beta – changing the way businesses market their products and do business one catalog at a time") have responded to the Plan B measures, we can return to Plan A.

Johnson said that [none of the so-called Plan](https://www.financedigest.com/3-factors-to-plan-for-in-2017-a-year-like-none-other.html "3 Factors to Plan for in 2017, A Year Like None Other") B measures would remain in England, as face masks would not be legally enforced anywhere, COVID passes would not be mandatory and advice to work from home would end.

He cited Office for National Statistics figures that showed infection prevalence [levels falling](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-job-vacancies-fall-to-post-pandemic-levels-rec-says.html "UK job vacancies fall to post-pandemic levels, REC says") from a record high.

But scientists warned that cases could still [turn higher again if people’s behaviour returned](https://www.financedigest.com/certainty-in-an-uncertain-world-post-brexit-investors-turn-to-commercial-property-and-fixed-returns.html "Certainty in an uncertain world – post-Brexit investors turn to commercial property and fixed returns") to normal quickly.

Removing Plan B measures in the [face of extremely high levels of infection is a risk,”](https://www.financedigest.com/german-residential-property-market-faces-risk-of-price-drop-diw-study.html "German residential property market faces risk of price drop – DIW study") University of Warwick virologist Lawrence Young said.

Perhaps it would have been wiser to wait for another couple of [weeks before removing the advice to work from home and the face](https://www.financedigest.com/china-arrivals-in-uk-next-week-will-not-face-compulsory-covid-tests-independent.html "China arrivals in UK next week will not face compulsory COVID tests -Independent") coverings mandate. There’s no guarantee that [infection levels](https://www.financedigest.com/global-covid-19-cases-hit-250-million-eastern-europe-infections-at-record-levels.html "Global COVID-19 cases hit 250 million, eastern Europe infections at record levels") will continue to fall.

PANDEMIC ‘NOT OVER’

Johnson has faced criticism for his handling of the pandemic overall, and Britain has [reported 152,513 deaths](https://www.financedigest.com/strong-nighttime-earthquake-jolts-sleeping-mexicans-at-least-one-death-reported.html "Strong nighttime earthquake jolts sleeping Mexicans, at least one death reported"), the seventh highest total globally. Scotland, Wales and [Northern Ireland](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-uks-truss-commit-to-protect-northern-ireland-deal.html "Biden, UK’s Truss commit to protect Northern Ireland deal") have followed their own anti-coronavirus measures, generally with tougher restrictions, but have also begun to ease them.

Johnson hopes to reset his [agenda following furore over the lockdown gatherings](https://www.financedigest.com/flu-experts-gather-with-h5n1-risk-on-the-agenda.html "Flu experts gather with H5N1 risk on the agenda") at his office, which has some in his party plotting to remove him.

The lifting of Plan B measures, along with the navigation of Omicron without resorting to a stringent lockdown, could help Johnson appease vocal opponents of restrictions in his own caucus amid the party unrest.

He said if data supported it, he may end the legal requirement for people to self-isolate if they [test positive](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-tests-positive-for-covid-has-mild-symptoms-taking-paxlovid-treatment.html "Biden tests positive for COVID, has mild symptoms, taking Paxlovid treatment") before the regulation lapses in March.

But to make that possible, we [must all remain cautious](https://www.financedigest.com/private-equity-firms-hungry-for-investment-opportunities-but-business-owners-must-be-cautious-2.html "Private equity firms hungry for investment opportunities, but business owners must be cautious") during these last weeks of winter,” he said, warning of continued pressure on hospitals.

“The pandemic is not over.”

(Reporting by Alistair Smout, additional reporting by Andrew MacAskill; editing by Guy Faulconbridge, Angus MacSwan and Toby Chopra)


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