The number of people in hospital with coronavirus is at its highest since February last year, as more than 20 NHS trusts declared critical incidents.
Many hospitals have been forced to delay non-urgent surgeries due to “unprecedented” staff shortages amid the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid.
Boris Johnson ruled out enforcing another lockdown for now, insisting his government “does not believe we have to shut down our country”.
Addressing MPs in the Commons today, the PM confirmed that asymptomatic people who test positive for the virus with a lateral flow device will no longer need a PCR test to start self-isolating, in a bid to reduce work absences. He also announced that from Friday, pre-departure tests will no longer be needed to gain entry into the UK.
He said the UK cannot yet lift the “plan B” measures including mandatory face masks in public settings and working from home guidance. They will stay in place for at least three weeks.
The UK recorded another 194,747 cases of coronavirus on Wednesday – down from 218,724 the day before.
