The chief medical adviser to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said people’s behaviour would make a difference to Covid case numbers in the coming weeks.
Dr Susan Hopkins was asked if the UKHSA is completely comfortable with the changes announced on Wednesday, and if any assessment has been made of what effect they might have on cases.
Plan B rules in England will be scrapped, with the Prime Minister saying mandatory face masks will no longer be required across England from next week.
Advice for people to work from home is being dropped immediately.
Dr Hopkins told a Downing Street press conference: “I think what we’ve seen is that case numbers have declined. It’s people’s behaviour that is going to make the difference over the next four weeks, on whether those case numbers continue to decline, stay the same, or rise.
“Clearly when you’re working from home you have less social contact, but we’re already seeing some people start to go back into the office and mix and socialise more.
“They need to do that carefully and within the guidelines, taking care particularly when they’re on public transport, in indoor spaces and crowded places to wear face coverings; to test regularly if they’re going back out and meeting people, particularly those who are more vulnerable.
"And finally to ensure that they’ve taken up that vaccination offer – because at the end of the day the more people who are vaccinated, the less likely we will see large transmission, especially in those individuals who’ve had a booster dose."
England's Health Secretary Sajid Javid said falling infections and hospital admissions show Omicron is “in retreat” but said it is not “the end of the road” in the fight against coronavirus.
He said he will set out a plan to “live with Covid” in the spring, saying that testing, antivirals and further vaccines in an as yet unknown capacity will form the “cornerstone of our future defences”.
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