Boris Johnson has said he expects to end the remaining coronavirus restrictions this month.
The legal requirement to self-isolate if you have Covid-19 was set to expire on March 24, but Mr Johnson today told MPs that he would be bringing the date forward.
Opening Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson said: “It is my intention to return on the first day after the half-term recess (February 21) to present our strategy for living with Covid.
Go here for the latest regional affairs and North East politics news
“Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions – including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive – a full month early.”
It came as Dr Bruce Aylward, senior advisor to the World Health Organisation director-general, said Covid-19 numbers were still “absolutely staggering”.
Asked about whether learning to live with the virus is dangerous, he told BBC radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s a very dangerous virus. If we look at the situation today – there’s still two million reported cases alone, over 5,000 deaths every single day right now.
“The numbers are absolutely staggering, and what we’re learning to live with is not just this virus, but what should be an unacceptable burden of disease, an unacceptable number of deaths every single day, especially when there are the tools to stop or at least slow this thing, manage it, control it.
“But you can’t do it with only half of the world protected, half of the world testing.
“You need that 16 billion dollar investment. It’s an extremely good buy to get out of this pandemic, or at least the acute phase.”
He said £16 billion are needed to buy the vaccines, tests and treatments that are required to end the acute phase of the pandemic.
“That sounds like a lot of money, but it is less than what the world is losing every single month right now,” he said.
For the latest local breaking news direct to your inbox as it happens, go here to sign up to our free newsletter.
