British PM to set out lockdown-free winter COVID plan

September 13, 2021 15:55

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out the government's winter plan for managing Covid-19 this week, Downing Street said on Monday.

Vaccines will continue to be the "first line of defence over the coming autumn and winter months, supported by new treatments, testing, and the UK's "world leading variant surveillance system, with further lockdowns expected to be ruled out.

Under the autumn-winter proposals, the government is set to repeal some powers of its emergency Coronavirus Act, brought in to tackle the pandemic last year.

"Thanks to the efforts of the public, the NHS and our phenomenal vaccination programme, we reached Step 4 in our (lockdown) Roadmap and life has returned to a sense of normality, said Johnson, ahead of a planned press conference on Tuesday.

"These extraordinary times required necessary but intrusive measures. But I'm determined to get rid of any powers we no longer need because of our vaccine defences. I will set out the next phase in our Covid response shortly," he said.

Downing Street has said that while certain powers, such as closing down sectors of the economy, schools and detention of infectious people are set to go, some vital powers from the Coronavirus Act will be retained to protect and support the public.

This includes giving sick pay to those isolating from day one rather than day seven, directing schools to remain open if they close against government guidance, and helping the National Health Service (NHS) to get the emergency resource it needs.

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