Boris Johnson will on Monday set out plans to “live with Covid” as the UK prepares for post-pandemic life.
After two years of restrictions, the prime minister is poised to announce the end of mandatory self-isolation for anyone who tests positive for the virus as well as free testing.
It would make the UK one of the first countries in the world to formally end all Covid curbs – despite a backlash from scientists fearful of the emergence of new variants.
Ministers are confident that, through mass vaccination, the virus has transitioned from a significant threat requiring public health interventions to a more manageable disease.
As Britons prepare for a return to their pre-pandemic freedoms, the Standard looks at which countries are pressing ahead with moving restrictions – and where they remain.
France
Emmanuel Macron’s government is moving gradually towards the end of all Covid restrictions – but at a slower pace than the UK.
The country recently lifted its ban on nightclubs, which had been closed for three months to thwart the spread of Omicron. However, they remained open in Britain at the peak of the Omicron wave.
A rule mandating face masks in restaurants, cinemas and gyms will elapse on February 28, though it will remain on trains, buses, taxis and in shops.
Health minister Oliver Veran on Wednesday hinted towards dropping rules on face masks and proof of vaccination from mid-March.
“If the trend continues, the wave could be over in about two weeks,” he said on France Info radio. “We could get back to a quasi-normal situation.”
France has seen its Covid cases dip after recording Europe’s highest daily infection tally. On February 17, the country recorded 92,307 infections - down from the peak of over 350,000 on January 24.
Hospitalisations have also started to fall in the past month from a peak of 3,914 daily admissions on January 16 to 3,296 on February 16.
Portugal
The Portuguese government announced last Thursday that it would scrap most of its remaining Covid restrictions.
Anyone attending a sports venue, bar or nightclub will no longer need to take a Covid test while vaccine passports will also no longer be mandatory except in healthcare settings.
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, Portugal’s president, is expected to give his approval to the plans shortly after they were signed off by the country’s Council of Ministers.
Minister of State Mariana Vieira da Silva said it is “another step toward a return to a normal life”.
Portugal has been more cautious than the UK in easing its restrictions despite its extremely high rate of vaccination. Over 90 per cent of the country has been double jabbed while 58 per cent of citizens have received a booster.
The country reported around 20,000 new infections on Wednesday – just a third of the 65,706 infections recorded on January 27.
China
With its “Zero Covid” approach to eradicating the virus, China remains trapped in a cycle of freedom and lockdown.
Unlike most countries to have chosen to “suppress” the virus and accept that Covid will circulate, the Chinese government seeks to eradicate all transmission of the disease.
As a result, citizens in China face an immediate lockdown in their city or region the second that an infection appears.
Officials fear that a major Covid surge could lead to severe pressure on China’s health system.
The latest data from 2017 showed that China had fewer than 4 ICU beds per 100,000 patients – compared to 34 per 100,000 in Germany.
It is also extremely difficult to travel to China from abroad - in contrast with the UK and Europe where travel rules are now relatively relaxed.
Under the current rules, all travellers to China must present a negative PCR and lateral flow test taken within 48 hours of travel.
They must also be fully vaccinated and complete either a 14-day or 21-day quarantine, depending on which region they are travelling to.
China’s decision to pursue a “Zero Covid” approach persists despite a high level of vaccination, with 85 per cent of the country double jabbed, according to Our World In Data.
Norway
Norway dropped virtually all Covid restrictions on February 16, with prime minister Jonas Gahr Store saying the virus was “no longer a major health threat to most of us”.
The country has scrapped measures including social distancing, mask-wearing and quarantine for infected people.
Instead, anyone who contracts the virus is simply advised to stay at home for four days – though this is not legally enforced.
Travellers to Norway will no longer need to register their arrivals ahead of time and the government has also scrapped the previous requirement for proof of a negative test before departure for some visitors, such as unvaccinated people.
Unlike the UK, Norway went into a partial lockdown in December to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.
The Norwegian Government pressed ahead with the decision despite having a lower vaccination rate than the UK. Just over 50 per cent of Norwegians have received a booster jab, according to Our World In Data.
Norway took a more stringent approach to the pandemic than its neighbour Sweden, which largely eschewed social distancing rules and lockdowns during the first and second wave.
New Zealand
Jacina Arden’s government has taken a radically different approach to the UK as it seeks to stem all transmission of the virus – effectively keeping its borders sealed for most of the pandemic.
However, the arrival of the significantly more transmissible Omicron variant has prompted a change of strategy – with ministers moving towards policies that reflect an acceptance of the virus.
On December 2 last year, the country moved into a new traffic light system of Green, Orange and Red for restrictions.
But even some of the restrictions in the country’s “Green” section would appear strict to Britons.
Anyone entering hospitality settings must provide proof of vaccination or major events, and localised lockdowns can still be used to stem transmission in badly affected regions.
Meanwhile a five-step plan, beginning on February 27, will see the country gradually open up to the rest of the world. However, people entering the country will still need to self-isolate on arrival, though will not have to do so in government facilities.
From April 12, entry will open to fully vaccinated international students and visa holders.
And by July, fully vaccinated people from Australia or waiver countries – including the UK, the US and other European nations – will be able to enter.
