LONDON (Parliament Politics Magazine) – The legal need for those who test positive for COVID to self-isolate will be eliminated as of Thursday, and free asymptomatic and symptomatic testing will be phased out in England as of April 1, according to the Prime Minister.
Boris Johnson acknowledged the decision in the Commons when he announced the government’s plan for “living with COVID.”
The amendments will be subject to Parliament’s approval.
Individuals can now only order a box every three days, rather than every 24 hours, in an effort to prevent people from stockpiling free lateral flow tests before the April 1 deadline.
The Prime Minister has called for a shift toward “personal responsibility.”
The Prime Minister claimed the country is now in a position to go from “government constraints to personal accountability” as part of his plan for “living with COVID.”
“Before we begin, I know the entire House will join me in wishing Her Majesty the Queen a speedy and complete recovery.” It serves as a reminder that the virus is still present,” Prime Minister said in the House of Commons.
However, as a result of the efforts that have been made as a country over the last two years, the country is capable of dealing with this differently, shifting to personal responsibility from government restrictions, so protection of oneself without losing the abilities and maintaining the contingent capabilities so responding rapidly to the new strain can be possible.
It is still advisable for people who test positive to stay at home until 1 April, the PM said, however, after that people with COVID-19 symptoms are encouraged to exercise personal responsibility, just as the people who may have flu can be encouraged to be considerate of others.
The PM told MPs that the “largest testing programme per individual of any large country in the world” came “at great cost” as universal free testing came to an end.
Testing in schools twice a week will come to an end today.
Ministers are eliminating the guideline for workers and students in most education and childcare institutions to undergo twice weekly asymptomatic testing as of today, according to the PM, who added that free tests will still be provided for “the oldest age groups and the most vulnerable to the virus.
In March, the PM stated that the government will determine who will continue to be eligible for free testing.
There will be no additional funding for the tests from the Department of Health and Social Care.
Mr Johnson went on to say that the remaining restrictions may be eased “only because levels of immunity are so high,” and that “vaccines and therapies” must now be considered as “our first line of defence.”
Ministers and scientists will continue to “monitor the virus in granular detail,” including through the Office for National Statistics (ONS) survey, because there is “great uncertainty” about the pandemic’s future path and the possibility of “major resurgences,” he said.
Mr Johnson also acknowledged that the government is “reviewing” the overseas passenger location form in answer to a later question from Labour MP Ben Bradshaw.
