England to Drop WFH Guidance Effective Today

UNITED KINGDOM – Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that it is immediately withdrawing its guidance for employees in England to work from home (WFH) today, reported BBC on Thursday morning (20 January, SGT).

“People would no longer be advised to work from home and should discuss their return to offices with employers,” said the premier in a statement to fellow legislators in the House of Commons.

The Prime Minister also announced that compulsory COVID passports for accessing nightclubs and large events will end, although organisations may opt to utilise the NHS COVID pass if they want to.

Aside from that, wearing of face masks will no longer be required. But individuals are still urged to wear coverings in crowded or enclosed spaces and when meeting strangers. Starting on 27 January, secondary school students will no longer need to wear face masks in classrooms, and the authorities’ guidance on their use in communal areas will be removed soon.

In the coming days, the government also plans to make more announcements on the relaxation of travel rules and curbs on care home visits in England, added Boris Johnson.

The Prime Minister also revealed that the authorities plan to end the legal requirement for individuals who test positive for COVID to self-isolate, and replace it with new advice and guidance.

The prevailing regulations around self-isolation will expire on 24 March. And Johnson said he expects not to renew it by then. The date could be brought forward if data permits.

The easing of measures comes as the Office for National Statistics’ latest infection research revealed that infection levels are dropping in England. Johnson also added that hospital admissions had stabilised and health experts think “it is likely that the Omicron wave has now peaked nationally.”