The Prime Minister has announced that England’s Plan B measures will end on * Thursday January 27th*.
In a statement to MPs in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister said:
- Mandatory Covid passports for entering nightclubs and large events would end
- People would no longer be advised to work from home and should discuss their return to offices with employers
- Face masks will no longer be mandatory, though people are still advised to wear coverings in enclosed or crowded spaces and when meeting strangers
- Secondary school pupils will no longer have to wear face masks in classrooms and government guidance on their use in communal areas would be removed “shortly”
Equality campaigners have called the government’s decision to end the mandatory wearing of face masks in indoor spaces “reckless” and “politically motivated” and are asking the Government to reverse their decision.
Fazilet Hadi, Head of Policy at Disability Rights UK said:
“For Disabled people, those who are clinically vulnerable or those who for medical reasons can’t have the vaccination, today’s announcement will be seen as another sign that the Government has abandoned them.
Despite Disabled people accounting for at least 60% of all Covid-related death so far, the Government is doing nothing to protect and support people at greater risk of serious illness.
We are particularly concerned that these rule changes will negatively affect working-age people who will be forced to return to work.”
Richard Kramer, Chief Executive of national disability charity Sense said:
“We also know that many disabled people are still shielding at home and do not feel safe to go out. It’s now vital that as we move out of the pandemic, we don’t leave disabled people in lockdown by the decisions we make.”
