Boris Johnson has announced all remaining Covid rules are to be scrapped, starting with legal isolating ending on Thursday, February 24. 

Free universal testing will also end in April under the new plan for “living with Covid”.

The Prime Minister said: “Before we begin I know the whole House will join me in sending our best wishes to Her Majesty the Queen for a full and swift recovery. It is a reminder that this virus has not gone away.

“But because of the efforts we have made as a country over the past two years, we can now deal with it in a very different way, moving from Government restrictions to personal responsibility, so we protect ourselves without losing our abilities and maintaining our contingent capabilities so we can respond rapidly to any new variant.”

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He also announced from Monday, February 21 staff and students would not have to undertake twice-weekly asymptomatic testing from April 1, which is when winter ends. 

Free tests would be available to the oldest age groups and those most vulnerable to Covid. 

Reactions to ending of Covid rules

One Twitter user wrote: "After two and a half hellish years, the madness is finally over. I can’t quite believe it, but oh boy, it feels good."

Labour Leader Keir Starmer said: “An approach that says living with covid is simply ignoring it."

Another wrote: "All remaining covid restrictions will officially go. An important step to returning to business as normal & personal responsibility. Very welcome."

One user said that it would mean poorer people could not get tested: "So now poor people can’t afford to get tested so without restrictions could have the virus and pass it around easily. Meanwhile the rich can get tested and get immediate treatment."

"No covid restrictions, free testing ending. All to keep Boris in power. Pure insanity that is going to get people killed," said another. 

"As many of my followers know, I'm extremely clinically vulnerable person. That said, I am glad restrictions are ending. Flu is as dangerous to me as Covid," said one account. 

It added: "Next week I have my 4th jab - 2nd booster - already take annual flu jabs. Then I shall go out and about and live my life. The one I've been blessed to be given."

Another user with long covid said; "Anxiety levels are now through the roof having read the news re Covid restrictions.

"I had Covid in 2020, still struggling with long Covid, clinically extremely vulnerable thanks to immunocompromise. I’m at my wits end!"