The UK government announced England will return to Plan A COVID-19 restrictions from Thursday 27 January.

Under Plan A restrictions, face coverings are no longer mandatory in indoor public spaces and guidance to work from home has ended. COVID passes will also no longer be mandatory for entry to nightclubs and other large venues.

Commenting on the measures, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid MP, said: ‘Our plan was to use the time that Plan B gave us to give ourselves extra power in our fight against Omicron. That plan has worked, and the data shows that Omicron is in retreat’.

Separately, the UK Health Security Agency confirmed NHS staff in England who test positive for COVID-19 can leave isolation and return to work on day six, if they test negative on days five and six, in line with national changes to guidance.