Boris Johnson says it is 'certain' new COVID variants will hit the UK

Boris Johnson has said it is “certain” new COVID variants will reach the UK as he announced the end of all domestic coronavirus restrictions in England.

Speaking in the House of Commons, the PM pointed to warnings from the Scientific Advisory group for Emergencies (Sage) about what could lie ahead.

He told MPs: “Sage advises there is considerable uncertainty about the future path of pandemic and there may, of course, be significant resurgences. They are certain there will be new variants and it is very possible they will be worse than Omicron.

“So we will maintain our resilience to manage and respond to these risks, including our world-leading ONS survey which will allow us to continue tracking the virus in granular detail, with regional and age breakdowns helping us to spot surges as and where they happen.”

Johnson said the UK’s laboratory networks will help them understand the evolution of the virus.

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He went on: “We will prepare and maintain our capabilities to ramp up testing, we will continue to support other countries in developing their own surveillance capabilities because a new variant can emerge anywhere.”

Johnson added: “In all circumstances our aim will be to manage and respond to future risks through more routine public health interventions, with pharmaceutical interventions as the first line of defence.”

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What are the changes Boris Johnson has announced?

• From 24 March the following changes are in place;

• People will no longer be legally required to isolate if they test positive for the virus - instead, they will be advised to remain at home for at least five days.

• Routine contact tracing will also end.

• Self-isolation payments will end.

• The legal obligation for individuals to tell their employers about their requirement to isolate will end.

• The right to statutory sick pay from day one of isolation will end.

• Employment support allowance designed to help people through the coronavirus pandemic will end.

• From 1 April free universal testing will end.

Watch: Boris Johnson announces free COVID tests will be scrapped from 1 April

Johnson headed up a Cabinet meeting earlier this morning, in which Number 10 said he secured "unanimous" backing from his top team in ending the measures.

It was thrown into chaos just minutes before it was due to start, as it was postponed over reported disagreements between Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Health Secretary Sajid Javid.

The pair are said to be at odds over the proposed scrapping of free lateral flow tests amid widespread calls for them to be kept in place to limit the spread of the virus.

Sunak is said to have concerns over the continued costing of free tests, while Javid wants to keep testing widely available.

The chaos surrounding the policy, which should help shore up Mr Johnson’s support on the Tory backbenches by ending the remaining legal restrictions in a nation that has lived under measures for nearly two years, came as the PM’s authority was undermined by the partygate scandal.

Read more: Businesses told to pay for coronavirus tests to check staff

But No 10 ultimately said the Cabinet gave the strategy its “unanimous backing” after a virtual meeting in the afternoon.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said it was “not a plan to live well” with Covid and will leave the nation “vulnerable”.

“As a nation there is no doubt we need to move on from Covid. People need to know their liberties are returning and returning for good,” Sir Keir said.

“But this is a half-baked announcement from a Government paralysed by chaos and incompetence. It is not a plan to live well with Covid.”