Work from home guidance ends in England

The Prime Minister has announced that regulations urging people to work from home are to be lifted. 

Boris Johnson told the House of Commons this afternoon that work from home guidance would no longer apply ‘from now’. 

He also said that Covid passports and mandatory wearing of face coverings will be scrapped in England from January 26 as the Plan B restrictions are ended. 

He said employers could now begin to make arrangements for staff to return to work. 

The Prime Minister said: ‘From now, the Government is no longer asking people to work from home and people should now speak to their employers about arrangements for returning to the office. 

“Having looked at the data carefully, the Cabinet concluded that once regulations lapse, the government will no longer mandate the wearing of face masks anywhere. 

“From tomorrow, we will no longer require face masks in classrooms, and the Department for Education will shortly remove national guidance on their use in communal areas. 

“In the country at large, we will continue to suggest the use of face coverings in enclosed or crowded places, particularly where you come into contact with people you don’t normally meet.” 

Restrictions on care homes will also be eased, with health secretary Sajid Javid due to announce more detail in the next few days. 

The Prime Minister said the legal requirement to self-isolate for five days if a person tests positive for Covid would remain – but the Government will look to remove it before the current regulations expire on March 24.