UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has hailed his decision to make sweeping changes to Covid-19 requirements as a proud moment. The PM made the comments in a statement ahead of his announcement expected on Monday afternoon in Parliament, and later to the nation.
“Today will mark a moment of pride after one of the most difficult periods in our country’s history as we begin to learn to live with Covid,” Johnson said in a Downing Street statement.
The prime minister praised the work of the NHS, which delivered “life-saving” vaccines “at phenomenal speed,” and thanked Britain’s “world-leading” scientists and the British public for “their commitment to protecting themselves.”
“The pandemic is not over but thanks to the incredible vaccine rollout we are now one step closer towards a return to normality and finally giving people back their freedoms while continuing to protect ourselves and others,” he added.
Johnson will update the House of Commons on Monday afternoon with a news conference to follow later in the day.
It is expected that he will announce the end of isolation requirements for people testing positive for Covid-19 and the end of free coronavirus testing kits. Over-80s will still be able to access free testing kits.
Speaking on the BBC’s Sunday Morning program, the prime minister suggested that the government’s spending on free Covid-19 testing was unsustainable, as it hit £2 billion for January alone.
David Nabarro, a World Health Organization special envoy for Covid, said that Johnson’s expected announcement was “really very unwise indeed.”
The announcement will come just days after it was revealed that Queen Elizabeth II had tested positive for Covid. She is only suffering “mild cold-like symptoms” but expects to continue “light duties” at Windsor Palace in the coming week.