No more mandatory facemasks, vaccine proofs: British PM

The British government had withdrawn all the additional Covid-19 restrictions- imposed when cases spiked last December- on Thursday since the Omicron has peaked in the country. The removed restrictions include the mandatory wearing of face masks, the requirement of vaccination certificates for large venues, and people no longer need to be strictly working from home, PTI reported quoting British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's announcement on Wednesday.

The country has also revoked its mandate for school children compulsory wear face masks in class. Johnson further said that the numbers hospitalized in intensive care have fallen.

According to what Johnson told the House of Commons, the latest analysis by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) has shown that Omicron has peaked in the UK. Therefore the cabinet decided that the country could retract Plan B to A or minimum covid restrictions. Though voluntary mask-wearing and social distancing will be appreciated, Johnson said no one would be penalized for not following those measures from Thursday. But some measures such as self-isolation will remain precisely self-isolation is a legal requirement for those tested positive. But, later, he said that the legal requirement would also be withdrawn around March.

He said that the covid pandemic had made legal requirements replaced with advice or guidance.

The British administration had reduced the isolation period from seven to five since Monday and two rapid lateral flow tests on days five and six.

Johnson said that the World Health Organisation had predicted a better scene for the UK, "light at the end of the tunnel", though the situation remains challenging. The government had done some things wrong during the World War 2 and 1918 pandemic, but his government got "the big things" right, he added.

England had escalated their anti-covid measures from Plan A to the strict Plan B on December 8 last year due to the exponential surge of Omicron.