No new Covid restrictions in England until 2022

No new Covid restrictions will be introduced in England before 2022, prime minister Boris Johnson tweeted on Monday (27) night, giving mass events the go-ahead and leaving nightclubs open for New Year’s Eve – in contrast with all other UK nations.

We will continue to monitor the data carefully, but there will be no new restrictions introduced in England before the New Year. 1/2

— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) December 27, 2021

“However, I would urge everyone to continue to act cautiously given the rising number of Omicron cases,” Johnson tweeted, reminding Britons to “get their first, second or booster jab without delay”.

The decision not to introduce curbs makes England an outlier in the UK, after Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland put limits on social gatherings and mass events.

Health secretary Sajid Javid, meanwhile, said people should take steps themselves to protect others. 

“We won’t be taking any further measures. Of course people should remain cautious as we approach new year celebrations and take a lateral flow test if that makes sense, celebrate outdoors if you can, have some ventilation indoors if you can,” he said.

Downing Street reportedly has been hopeful that if admissions in London stay below 400 a day, NHS capacity should remain stable. According to the latest data, 364 patients were admitted to hospital with Covid on Christmas Day in London, down slightly from a high of 390 admitted on 23 December.

The announcement came as England recorded a high number of Covid infections. England recorded 1,281 people admitted to hospital in England on Christmas Day – the most recent available figure – up from 1,020 the day before. Though it is the highest figure since mid-February, it is well below the highest in the pandemic when admissions reached 4,134 last January.

Meanwhile, hospitality bosses have welcomed news, calling the move a “pragmatic and proportionate approach”. The industry had feared that Johnson and ministers may toughen up Covid-19 measures in England, after the Omicron variant led to a surge in Covid infections.