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Coronavirus restrictions in England could be lifted by the end of January, with the Tory party chairman saying he was “hopeful”, thanks to “encouraging signs”.
The current Plan B rules – which includes the mandatory wearing of face masks in some settings, the use of vaccine passports or negative lateral flow tests to enter some venues and working from home where possible – are due to be reviewed in 10 days.
Mr Dowden told Sky News’ Trevor Phillips on Sunday that the “signs are encouraging” that these restrictions will be able to be lifted at this point.
“It has always been my hope that we would have the Plan B restrictions for the shortest period possible,” the Conservative Party’s chairman said.
Live COVID updates as Tory chairman expresses his ‘disgust’ at Number 10 parties
“I’m under no doubt the kind of burdens this puts hospitality, wider business, schools and so on under, and I want us to get rid of those if we possibly can.
“The signs are encouraging but, clearly, we will wait to see the data ahead of that final decision.”
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Are Omicron cases stabilising?
‘Promising data’ on COVID
Mr Dowden added that there is “promising data” on COVID infections and hospitalisations that give “pause for hope and optimism that we may be emerging from the worst of Omicron“.
His comments come after Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), said infection levels in London, the South East and East of England are flattening off.
She said that while case numbers are still rising in more northern parts of the country, the growth rate there is slowing.
On Friday, the UK’s R (reproduction) number…
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Source : skynews
