andipandi
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Food for thought... 
Plans to end remaining Covid restrictions in England by 21st February have been announced by the prime minister, coming a month earlier than initially proposed.
In an opening statement made during prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, he said: “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.”
Guardian readers share their reactions to the proposal.
‘I do not trust Boris’
The relaxation of Covid restrictions in their entirety is laughably shortsighted. Of course, a transition to “living with Covid” is a must for every nation, but whereas others are emphasising caution and reasonable measures – such as face masks, contact tracing and isolation – this government is throwing away all measures, and for what? To save Boris, and Boris alone.
Covid is not simply a respiratory disease. But Boris is done with pretending to care about vulnerable people, elderly people, or anybody besides himself. And when the next variant arrives, how soon will Mr Johnson show his true, science-doubting self? I do not trust Boris … or his Bollinger-laden fridge. Lena R, 28, Silversmith, West Midlands
‘This makes everyone less safe’
This [plan] makes everyone less safe – individuals can no longer make decisions on their own safety as that depends on others doing the right thing and isolating when sick, not to mention wearing a mask in public spaces and taking regular LFTs. This is no way to live: extremely high levels of disease, and long Covid a real possibility.
I am continually amazed by how the government talk as though the pandemic is over. It is not. I desperately want it to all be over too but pretending it doesn’t exist seems very bizarre to me, and actually very dangerous as current things stand. Ultimately though, this should be taken for what it is – not a public health decision but a political decision designed to save Johnson’s job. Jude Geddes, 40, full-time carer of parent, Shoreham-by-Sea
‘I am worried for the future’
I had Covid over Christmas and it led to severe bronchitis and now long Covid. Extreme fatigue, muscle pain and chest pains. I am not even able to do the most basic of tasks. It has been horrible and is affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
We do need to look to the future but rushing now just seems ridiculous and the only reason for doing it is to save Johnson’s skin and gain him some popularity no matter what the science says. It is awful and I am extremely worried for the future. Stuart, 40, Merseyside
‘People who have family in care homes are practically invisible’
I would like to know how this will affect the care and nursing home sector. My mother, who is in her late 80s and in frail health, has essentially been trapped in her nursing home for two years. The home has done its best to allow outdoor visits but this is obviously very difficult in practical terms given my mother’s poor health and the weather. Recently it has been a nightmare due to the highly infectuous nature of Omicron: every week one or more staff members catch it so the home closes again to visitors.
My mother is too frail now to come down to the outdoor terrace. Her mental health is declining as she is so lonely without mine and my sister’s visits. I consider that people in my family’s situation are practically invisible. I would like to know how the specific regulations on care homes will be changed to firstly continue to protect residents but also make visiting easier. Anonymous
‘We need to encourage people to regain their lives’
[The decision is] fully justified by falling case numbers and death rates. We also need to encourage people to regain their lives, with recommendations that masks are no longer needed in all situations or we will be stuck with them for ever. John, 71, retired, London
‘In essence, I agree with the move’
A good idea that has come at a bad time. With everything going on at No 10, you can only see this move by Johnson as one thing: another “dead cat” distraction to turn the eyes of the masses off him. In essence, I agree with the move, as Covid seems to be dying down now and the vaccination programme has been a relative success, but it says a lot about our country and government when a move like this can only be viewed through the eyes of a cynic. Jacques, 26, recruitment consultant, London
‘Millions of people are at huge risk – are their lives expendable?’
I have chronic myeloid leukaemia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, an autoimmune disease. My consultant does not consider me to be at a hugely greater risk than the general population as my conditions are currently under control. However, there are millions of people who are at huge risk of becoming seriously ill and even dying should they catch Covid: people who have more severe types of leukaemia or those who have had bone marrow transplants, for example.
Are these lives expendable? Do these people have to stay in a near isolated state to keep themselves safe? I understand the other health and financial implications of getting back to “normal” but why this could not be tempered by mask wearing and isolating if infected I cannot understand. It may even encourage people who have severe cold- or flu-like illnesses to be out and about. That will give rise to further infections that may require hospitalisation. There are no easy answers but I feel that the needs of too many have not really been taken into consideration. Karen Smith, 64, retired, north Devon
‘Workers will be coerced into going to work even if they’re infectious’
Removing the legal need to self-isolate after a positive test will lead to many service workers, through no fault of their own, being coerced into going to work even if they’re infectious. I fear for the knock-on effects this will have and will be avoiding indoor dining etc.
My biggest concern is the effect of long Covid. While I may not be vulnerable, I fear these long-term effects. Losing clear thinking would mean losing the future career that I have worked hard for, and losing a sense of smell/taste would mean losing one of my biggest joys in life. I will continue wearing a mask in public settings, and will be eating out a lot less. This terrible proposal erodes my trust in government and my perception of safety. Tom, 25, PhD student, Cambridge
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Plans to end remaining Covid restrictions in England by 21st February have been announced by the prime minister, coming a month earlier than initially proposed.
In an opening statement made during prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, he said: “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.”
Guardian readers share their reactions to the proposal.
‘I do not trust Boris’
The relaxation of Covid restrictions in their entirety is laughably shortsighted. Of course, a transition to “living with Covid” is a must for every nation, but whereas others are emphasising caution and reasonable measures – such as face masks, contact tracing and isolation – this government is throwing away all measures, and for what? To save Boris, and Boris alone.
Covid is not simply a respiratory disease. But Boris is done with pretending to care about vulnerable people, elderly people, or anybody besides himself. And when the next variant arrives, how soon will Mr Johnson show his true, science-doubting self? I do not trust Boris … or his Bollinger-laden fridge. Lena R, 28, Silversmith, West Midlands
‘This makes everyone less safe’
This [plan] makes everyone less safe – individuals can no longer make decisions on their own safety as that depends on others doing the right thing and isolating when sick, not to mention wearing a mask in public spaces and taking regular LFTs. This is no way to live: extremely high levels of disease, and long Covid a real possibility.
I am continually amazed by how the government talk as though the pandemic is over. It is not. I desperately want it to all be over too but pretending it doesn’t exist seems very bizarre to me, and actually very dangerous as current things stand. Ultimately though, this should be taken for what it is – not a public health decision but a political decision designed to save Johnson’s job. Jude Geddes, 40, full-time carer of parent, Shoreham-by-Sea
‘I am worried for the future’
I had Covid over Christmas and it led to severe bronchitis and now long Covid. Extreme fatigue, muscle pain and chest pains. I am not even able to do the most basic of tasks. It has been horrible and is affecting hundreds of thousands of people.
We do need to look to the future but rushing now just seems ridiculous and the only reason for doing it is to save Johnson’s skin and gain him some popularity no matter what the science says. It is awful and I am extremely worried for the future. Stuart, 40, Merseyside
‘People who have family in care homes are practically invisible’
I would like to know how this will affect the care and nursing home sector. My mother, who is in her late 80s and in frail health, has essentially been trapped in her nursing home for two years. The home has done its best to allow outdoor visits but this is obviously very difficult in practical terms given my mother’s poor health and the weather. Recently it has been a nightmare due to the highly infectuous nature of Omicron: every week one or more staff members catch it so the home closes again to visitors.
My mother is too frail now to come down to the outdoor terrace. Her mental health is declining as she is so lonely without mine and my sister’s visits. I consider that people in my family’s situation are practically invisible. I would like to know how the specific regulations on care homes will be changed to firstly continue to protect residents but also make visiting easier. Anonymous
‘We need to encourage people to regain their lives’
[The decision is] fully justified by falling case numbers and death rates. We also need to encourage people to regain their lives, with recommendations that masks are no longer needed in all situations or we will be stuck with them for ever. John, 71, retired, London
‘In essence, I agree with the move’
A good idea that has come at a bad time. With everything going on at No 10, you can only see this move by Johnson as one thing: another “dead cat” distraction to turn the eyes of the masses off him. In essence, I agree with the move, as Covid seems to be dying down now and the vaccination programme has been a relative success, but it says a lot about our country and government when a move like this can only be viewed through the eyes of a cynic. Jacques, 26, recruitment consultant, London
‘Millions of people are at huge risk – are their lives expendable?’
I have chronic myeloid leukaemia and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, an autoimmune disease. My consultant does not consider me to be at a hugely greater risk than the general population as my conditions are currently under control. However, there are millions of people who are at huge risk of becoming seriously ill and even dying should they catch Covid: people who have more severe types of leukaemia or those who have had bone marrow transplants, for example.
Are these lives expendable? Do these people have to stay in a near isolated state to keep themselves safe? I understand the other health and financial implications of getting back to “normal” but why this could not be tempered by mask wearing and isolating if infected I cannot understand. It may even encourage people who have severe cold- or flu-like illnesses to be out and about. That will give rise to further infections that may require hospitalisation. There are no easy answers but I feel that the needs of too many have not really been taken into consideration. Karen Smith, 64, retired, north Devon
‘Workers will be coerced into going to work even if they’re infectious’
Removing the legal need to self-isolate after a positive test will lead to many service workers, through no fault of their own, being coerced into going to work even if they’re infectious. I fear for the knock-on effects this will have and will be avoiding indoor dining etc.
My biggest concern is the effect of long Covid. While I may not be vulnerable, I fear these long-term effects. Losing clear thinking would mean losing the future career that I have worked hard for, and losing a sense of smell/taste would mean losing one of my biggest joys in life. I will continue wearing a mask in public settings, and will be eating out a lot less. This terrible proposal erodes my trust in government and my perception of safety. Tom, 25, PhD student, Cambridge
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