UK PM Boris Johnson set to scrap all Covid restrictions

People in England will no longer have to self-isolate after testing positive for coronavirus by the end of next week, Downing Street has said.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce the decision tomorrow - which also applies to close contacts - as he moves to scrap all remaining COVID-19 restrictions.

When he unveils his "living with COVID" plan, he is expected to tell MPs that the vaccine programme, testing and new treatments will be enough to keep the public safe.

The prime minister said: “Covid will not suddenly disappear, and we need to learn to live with this virus and continue to protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms. We’ve built up strong protections against this virus over the past two years through the vaccine rollouts, tests, new treatments, and the best scientific understanding of what this virus can do.

“Thanks to our successful vaccination programme and the sheer magnitude of people who have come forward to be jabbed, we are now in a position to set out our plan for living with Covid this week.”

By the end of the week, local authorities will be required to manage outbreaks with pre-existing public health powers.

Pharmaceutical interventions will “continue to be our first line of defence”, with the vaccine programme remaining “open to anyone who has not yet come forward”, Downing Street added.