COVID infections go up as Boris Johnson signals end to all restrictions

COVID-19 infection levels have risen in three of the four UK nations as Boris Johnson announced plans to scrap the remaining restrictions early.

Scotland and Northern Ireland both saw an increase last week in the number of people in private households likely to have coronavirus, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

England also saw a rise, though the trend here is “uncertain”, the ONS said.

It comes after the prime minister revealed his intention to end the final coronavirus restrictions in England later this month, as long as “encouraging trends” in the data continue.

It would mean people are no longer required to isolate even if they test positive for COVID-19.

Watch: Boris Johnson signals early end to COVID self-isolation laws

The figures show there is still a high prevalence of the virus across the country, with infections remaining well above pre-Christmas levels.

About one in 19 people in private households in England had COVID-19 in the week to 5 February, or 2.8 million people – up from one in 20, or 2.6 million people, in the week to 29 January.

In Scotland, around one in 25 were likely to have COVID-19 last week, or 211,300 people, up week-on-week from one in 30, or 185,100.

Northern Ireland also saw an increase, up from one in 15 people (or 136,300) to one in 13 (145,600) – the highest level since the ONS began estimating infections for this part of the UK in autumn 2020.

But infections have fallen in Wales, down from an estimated one in 20 people (or 139,000) to one in 25 (121,200).

Across the UK as a whole, 3.3 million people were likely to have had COVID-19 last week, up from 3.1 million the previous week.

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On Wednesday, World Health Organization (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned the pandemic was not over.

He said: "Depending on where you live, it might feel like the COVID-19 pandemic is almost over, or, it might feel like it is at its worst.

"But wherever you live, COVID isn't finished with us."

Tedros added: "We know this virus will continue to evolve, but we are not defenceless.

"We have the tools to prevent this disease, test for it and to treat it."

Johnson said he would present his plan for “living with COVID” when parliament returns from a short recess on 21 February, with the aim of lifting the requirement to self-isolate within days of that.

The current self-isolation regulations expire on 24 March but Johnson told MPs at Prime Minister’s Questions that “provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions – including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive – a full month early”.

Experts have criticised the end to the legal obligation to isolate in England.

Dr James Gill, honorary clinical lecturer at Warwick Medical School, said: “Frankly I see no justifiable reason for the scrapping of this law, certainly not from the perspective of patients, nor from a business case either as the omicron variant is highly contagious, and thus more likely to spread through a staff group if people feel compelled to come to work with a mild COVID 19 infection.”

Professor Lawrence Young, virologist and professor of molecular oncology and the University of Warwick, added: “Removing the requirement for isolation in the face of high infection levels will inevitably result in increased spread of the virus."