U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he plans to end the legal requirement for people in England to self-isolate if they test positive for COVID-19 this month.
The move will be part of the government’s strategy for “Living with COVID” to be announced Feb. 21, Johnson told the House of Commons on Wednesday, as long as “the current encouraging trends in the data continue.”
Regulations forcing people to self-isolate at home for five days are due to expire on March 24, but Johnson said he expected to be able to lift these “a full month early.”
The announcement will be welcomed by many lawmakers in the ruling Conservative Party who have long called for Johnson to ease the COVID-19 restrictions early, amid concerns over individual freedoms and the impact on businesses, the health service and in schools.
Johnson has been seeking to bolster his support amid growing calls for his resignation over his handling of allegedly rule-breaking parties in Downing Street during the pandemic that are being investigated by the police.
The U.K. recorded 66,183 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 314 deaths on Tuesday, while the seven-day average of cases has fallen by 20% in the last week.
