COVID-19
The Latest Government Advice
The government has removed remaining domestic restrictions in England. The temporary provisions in the Coronavirus Act 2020 expired on 24 March 2022. As a result the Remote Education (England) Temporary Continuity (No.2) direction no longer has effect.
On Tuesday 29 March, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, set out the next steps for living with COVID-19 in England from Friday 1 April. The Government has stated that the population now has much stronger protection against COVID-19 than at any other point in the pandemic. This means we can begin to manage the virus like other respiratory infections, thanks to the success of the vaccination programme and access to antivirals, alongside natural immunity and increased scientific and public understanding about how to manage risk. The new Government guidance advises:
|
The Government has emphasised the personal actions that individuals can take to reduce infection and transmission risk, which include:
- Getting vaccinated;
- Letting fresh air in if meeting indoors, or meeting outside;
- Wearing a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces, especially where you come into contact with people you do not usually meet, when rates of transmission are high;
- Trying to stay at home if you are unwell;
- Taking a test if you have COVID-19 symptoms, and staying at home and avoiding contact with other people if you test positive; and
- Washing your hands and following advice to ‘Catch it, Bin it, Kill it’.