Government to announce 'Living with Covid ' plan

The government is today expected to set out plans to scrap remaining Covid-19 restrictions, including the requirement to isolate.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the end to restrictions will “return people 's freedom ” and bring society “towards a return to normality ”.

Mr Johnson is to meet his Cabinet this morning before updating the Commons and then holding a news conference to outline the plans.

On Saturday, Downing Street confirmed that positive cases and their close contacts will no longer have to self-isolate by the end of this week.

However, the government has promised to take a "cautious approach" by retaining some surveillance systems and plans to reimpose measures "if needed to respond to new variants".

One of the biggest question marks remains the provision of free lateral flow tests, with the government yet to confirm reports that people would have to pay for them.

Raj Kandola (pictured), head of policy at Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, said: “With the Prime Minister expected to release full details of his Living with Covid plan later this afternoon, many will now hope that the end is in sight for this dreadful crisis.

“Given the latest number of infections, there 's general acceptance that scaling back certain Covid-19 restrictions makes sense as we attempt to rebuild confidence across the economy as a whole.

“We understand the financial pressures the Treasury is currently facing, and mass PCR testing is likely to be withdrawn.

“However, questions remain over the future of rapid testing which has played a vital role in tracking the spread of new variants and detecting outbreaks in workplaces for example.

“The level of detail in the strategy is also going to be key - as we saw with the rollout of Plan B measures, offering guidance which is not enforceable by law can create uncertainty and unintended consequences for businesses.

“As a Chamber we will provide a full breakdown of what these measures mean for local businesses and where additional support will be needed for those firms still grappling with the fallout from the pandemic. ”