Breathe easy! It’s take your masks off day, England

Covid restrictions introduced under Plan B have been axed in England – making it the freest country in Europe.

Under the move, there will be no more vaccine passports and wearing face masks in crowded places such as shops will no longer be legally mandated.

However, London mayor Sadiq Khan said face coverings will remain compulsory on the Tube and buses – although police will no longer be able to enforce the rule or impose fines. And some supermarkets including Sainsbury’s and Waitrose have said they will continue to ask shoppers to wear a mask ‘if they are able to’.

Earlier this week, Boris Johnson scrapped guidance that urged the public to work from home where possible. All remaining legal measures in England – including self-isolation for those with the virus – are set to be scrapped in March.

The Government has promised to set out a long-term strategy for ‘living with Covid’ by spring.

But, some restrictions will remain in place in Scotland and Wales. The new freedoms have been welcomed after a traumatic two years of intermittent draconian curbs on day-to-day life.

Since the first case was detected in England on January 31, 2020, there have been three full national lockdowns with catastrophic economic and social consequences.

The latest round of restrictions – so-called Plan B – were introduced in december to combat the rise of the omicron variant, but experts say they are no longer needed because it is much less severe than previous strains.

Ministers are confident the UK’s historic vaccine rollout – the fastest in Europe – means there will never be another lockdown and life can return to normal.

Latest data shows 91 per cent of over-12s have had at least one vaccine, while 64 per cent have had all three doses.

This means that – even with relatively high infection rates, with 102,292 cases recorded yesterday – hospital admissions remain low as vaccines prevent severe illness.

And there are now fewer patients in intensive care with the virus than at any point since July. Another 346 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were recorded yesterday.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the UK will from now on ‘find a way to live with Covid in the same way we live with flu’.

He added: ‘Just as flu doesn’t stop society, we must not let Covid do that anymore. our vaccines, testing and antivirals ensure we have some of the strongest defences in Europe and are allowing us to cautiously return to Plan A, restoring freedoms to this country.’

data from the UK Health Security Agency shows boosters are 92 per cent effective in preventing hospital admissions and around 70 per cent protective against symptomatic infection.

While all legal curbs are being banished in England, some venues such as pubs can still voluntarily choose to require proof of vaccination.

People will still be urged to wear masks in crowded spaces as well as in GP surgeries, hospitals and pharmacies.

it is still a legal requirement for those with Covid-19 to selfisolate for ten days, although they can be freed after five days if they present two negative lateral flow tests.

The Government has said it will set out detailed plans on scrapping self-isolation entirely within weeks, and said this will be replaced with ‘advice and guidance urging people with the virus to be careful and considerate of others’.

Free coronavirus lateral flow tests are also set to be scrapped by the summer.