PM also tells Commons people with positive cases will no longer have to isolate from Thursday
Free Covid testing will end for the general public in England from 1 April and people with positive cases will no longer legally have to isolate from this Thursday, Boris Johnson has announced.
Unveiling his “living with Covid” strategy, the prime minister told the House of Commons it was time for the pandemic response to be wound down and for people to “get our confidence back”.
People will no longer get free PCR and lateral flow tests from 1 April onwards. Some symptomatic people who are elderly or vulnerable will still be able to get free lateral flow tests, but the age limit for this has not yet been decided: the government said it would be restricted to a “small number of at-risk groups” and care home staff.
The legal requirement to isolate after testing positive, and for contacts to isolate or test, will end on Thursday – although people will be advised to do so until April. After that, it will be a matter of personal choice.
Contact tracing and Covid support payments for the low paid will end from Thursday, at the same time as the legal requirement to isolate.
Schools and other education settings will no longer be advised to test twice-weekly, with immediate effect.
Changes to statutory sick pay brought in during the pandemic will be scrapped from 24 February, meaning people will only be able to claim it from day four rather than day one.
NHS and social care staff will no longer get asymptomatic testing but it is expected patients and care home residentswill see this continue.
Guidance on Covid passports will be scrapped from 1 April, with venues no longer recommended to use them. They will still be available for international travel.
