Sajid Javid has ruled out any new Covid restrictions in England before the new year.
The Health Secretary said people should "remain cautious" and test themselves if heading out for New Year's Eve.
He also urged Brits to celebrate outside as the Omicron variant now accounts for 90 per cent of all new Covid cases.
The decision not to impose new rules beyond Plan B will come as a huge relief to the hospitality sector, as bars and restaurants can go ahead with New Year's Eve plans.
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Speaking today, Mr Javid said: “We look at the data on a daily basis, that hasn’t changed over the Christmas period, but there will be no further measures before the new year.
“We won’t be taking any further measures, of course people should remain cautious as we approach new year celebrations and take a lateral flow test if that makes sense, celebrate outdoors if you can, have some ventilation indoors if you can.
“Please remain cautious and when we get into the new year of course we will see then if we do need to take any further measures but nothing more until then, at least.”
The announcement comes despite further restrictions being introduced in Wales and Scotland and hospital Covid admissions hitting their highest levels in England since March.
Some 8,474 people are in hospital are across the country, up 27 per cent in a week and the highest since March 5.
Meanwhile, England reported a record number of cases on Christmas Day, with 113,628 infections.
It's also been revealed they were 103,558 on Boxing Day, and 98,515 in the last 24-hour period.
Mr Javid said that it is up to each of the nations in the United Kingdom to decide their own restrictions.
He told Sky News: “It’s for each country that makes up the United Kingdom to decide how it wants to go forward.
“So for example in England, we decided back in July that we would open up in the summer.
“I think we look back now and that has been the right decision.”
Mr Javid added that he wanted everyone to have a “credible opportunity to get their booster” and that he wanted to see 100% of people receiving the top-up by the end of the year.
He said that since the Government had learned of the Omicron variant its strategy had been to “buy time”, adding that while there was uncertainty over the variant, the best form of defence was vaccination.
He said there were “disproportionate” levels of unvaccinated people being admitted to hospital, adding: “Can I please say to people, please do come forward… protect yourselves, protect your loved ones and protect your community.”
He told Sky News that there were “plenty of slots”, with 1.5 million slots available over the next few days and that while the NHS was “doing a brilliant job”, the Government needed people to come forward.
Earlier, conservative MPs urged caution in going beyond Plan B in England, with veteran Tory Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown calling for a 'wait-and-see' approach to the impact of infections on hospital admissions.
Sir Geoffrey said he hoped the Prime Minister would be 'very cautious before introducing further measures' as he pushed for people to be able to 'make their own decisions' when it came to taking precautions against infection.
In a sign the population could be curbing its own behaviour after Christmas, retail bosses said they had experienced a 'muted start' to the post-Christmas sales, with a high street expert suggesting London’s West End experienced a drop of almost half of pre-pandemic footfall levels on Boxing Day.
Jace Tyrrell, chief executive of The West End Company, which represents 600 business across Oxford Street, Bond Street, Regent Street and in Mayfair, said the turnout was largely due to the emergence of the Omicron variant.
The comments come as curbs on hospitality and large events were brought in for those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with the Scottish Government ordering nightclubs to be shuttered from Monday while hospitality businesses will need to return to offering only table service if serving alcohol.
England is currently under the UK Government’s Plan B rulebook, with guidance to work from home, mask wearing in shops and other public settings, and Covid passes to gain entry to large events.
Mr Johnson previously indicated he will not hesitate to act after Christmas if required amid rising cases of the Omicron variant.
