Removal of quarantine pass restrictions from the 27th… Prime Minister Johnson: 90% boost to 60+
Decreasing number of confirmed cases and passing the peak of Omicron”, some experts “very hasty… Concerns regarding re-proliferation
The UK is returning to the ‘step-by-step recovery of daily life (with Corona)’ system before the spread of Omicron mutation, such as taking off the mask once more following half a year and eliminating the vaccine pass system.
According to foreign media such as The Guardian, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on the 19th that all quarantine regulations introduced due to the spread of the Omicron mutation will be lifted from the 27th. Prime Minister Johnson explained the background to the move, saying, “90% of the UK’s population over the age of 60 has been vaccinated with the booster shot, and experts believe the UK has passed the Omicron peak.” According to Worldometer, an international statistics site, the number of new confirmed cases in the UK in one day was the highest at 218,376 on the 4th, and then decreased to 94,225 on the 18th.
According to the British government’s announcement of the return of ‘With Corona’, the vaccine pass operates autonomously without compulsion. Wearing a mask in schools and public places is also not legally compulsory. However, it is a policy to continue to recommend wearing a mask in indoor spaces with high population density. Specific relief measures for special facilities such as nursing homes are also expected to come out soon. The self-quarantine obligation for confirmed COVID-19 patients will remain for the time being, but is expected to disappear following March.
Some experts criticized that it is “very hasty”, saying that if the government lifts quarantine restrictions like this, it might lead to rapid re-spreading, with the number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients still exceeding 20,000.
The Guardian analyzed that Johnson’s move might be an attempt to appease opposition within the Conservative Party. This is a measure to appease Conservative lawmakers who insisted on reopening the economy as the so-called ‘party gate’ incident was reported daily and criticized even within the Conservative Party as Prime Minister Johnson held a drinking party at his official residence during the UK’s total lockdown and violated quarantine measures. .
Reporter Kim Seong-mo [email protected]