On the 19 January the Government announced that we are lifting all Plan B measures and moving to Plan A in England, marking the start of the next chapter in our fight against COVID-19.
Throughout the pandemic, the Government has maintained a balanced and proportionate approach to COVID-19 measures. We moved to Plan B following the rapid speed of Omicron, buying us time to assess the variant, ramp up the booster programme and strengthen our defences. That is why:
From Wednesday 19 January:
- The government is no longer asking people to work from home if they can. People should speak to their employers about arrangements for returning to the office, and should follow the Working Safely guidance.
From Thursday 20 January:
- Face coverings will no longer be advised in classrooms for both staff and pupils.
From Thursday 27 January:
Venues and events will no longer be required by law to use the NHS Covid Pass. The NHS Covid Pass can still be used on a voluntary basis as was previously the case in Plan A.
- Face coverings are no longer required by law in any setting. Public health guidance will remain in place, suggesting individuals should continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.
- The Department for Education will remove national guidance on the use of face coverings in communal areas, with local Directors of Public Health able to recommend the use of face coverings in education settings across their area only where the department and public health experts judge the measure to be proportionate due to specific health concerns. This is a temporary measure and Directors of Public Health continue to advise individual settings experiencing outbreaks.
- Any local introduction of face coverings must be subject to routine review and removed at the earliest opportunity.
It is thanks to the efforts of people up and down the country and our phenomenal vaccination programme that we are able to move to these steps and restore more freedom to our country - and we continue to urge everyone to get boosted now. The Government will set out a long-term strategy for living with COVID-19 in due course.
For any more information on the Government’s decision to return to Plan A following the success of the booster programme, including comments from the Health and Social Care Secretary and the Chief Medical Advisor for the UK Health Security Agency, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/england-to-return-to-plan-a-following-the-success-of-the-booster-programme.