Coronavirus (COVID‑19)

The government has announced that the measures put in place under plan B in England will be lifted. You should continue to follow safer behaviours to protect yourself and others:

• Get vaccinated and get your booster dose
• Wear a face covering in most indoor public places and on public transport
• Let fresh air in if you meet indoors. Meeting outdoors is safer
• Get tested and self-isolate if required

Find out how to stay safe and help prevent the spread

Recent and upcoming changes

11 February England

If you’re fully vaccinated you will no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in the UK. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

If you are not fully vaccinated you will need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in the UK. You will not need to quarantine unless the result of the PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

27 January England

You will not be required to wear a face covering, including in communal areas of schools, but the government suggests you continue to wear one in crowded and indoor spaces where you may come into contact with people you do not normally meet.

You’ll no longer need to show your NHS COVID Pass at venues and events by law.

20 January England

Staff and pupils in secondary schools and colleges will not be required to wear a face covering in classrooms.

19 January England

You are no longer asked to work from home if you can. Talk to your employer to agree arrangements to return to your workplace.

11 February Northern Ireland

If you’re fully vaccinated you will no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in Northern Ireland. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

If you are not fully vaccinated you will need to take a pre-departure test, 2 days before arrival and a PCR test on day 2 after arrival in Northern Ireland. You will not need to quarantine unless the result of the day 2 PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

26 January Northern Ireland

Nightclubs will reopen. You will still need to show your NI domestic certificate.

21 January Northern Ireland

Up to 30 people can meet in a private home. Organisers of large indoor gatherings at places like pubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres need to carry out a risk assessment.

5 January Northern Ireland

If you get a positive rapid lateral flow test result, you should isolate immediately. You no longer need to book a PCR test.

11 February Scotland

If you’re fully vaccinated you will no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in Scotland. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

If you are not fully vaccinated you will need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in Scotland. You will not need to quarantine unless the result of the PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

24 January Scotland

There will be no limits on how many households can meet indoors or outdoors. There will be no need for physical distancing between groups at indoor and outdoor venues including bars, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and gyms. Table service will not be needed.

17 January Scotland

Most people will need to have had a booster dose to be recognised as fully vaccinated under the COVID certification scheme.

Restrictions on numbers at outdoor events are lifted. Indoor events remain limited to 100 people standing and 200 people sitting. The COVID certification scheme must be used for both outdoor and indoor events.

6 January Scotland

If you’re a close contact of someone with COVID–19 and you’re fully vaccinated along with your booster dose, you can take daily rapid lateral flow tests for 7 days instead of self isolating. If you test positive or develop symptoms during this time you should self-isolate for 10 days.

If you test positive for COVID-19 you should self-isolate for 10 days. You can end self-isolation early if you do not have a high temperature and get 2 negative lateral flow test results on days 6 and 7, taken at least 24 hours apart.

If you do not have symptoms and get a positive rapid lateral flow test result, you must self-isolate. You do not need to take a PCR test to confirm your result.

Find out more on gov.scot

27 December Scotland

Up to 3 households can meet with 1 metre physical distancing between groups at indoor and outdoor venues like bars, restaurants, theatres, cinemas and gyms. Table service is needed if alcohol is being served.

11 February Wales

If you’re fully vaccinated you will no longer need to take a COVID-19 test either before or after arrival in Wales. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

If you are not fully vaccinated you will need to take a pre-departure test and a PCR test on or before day 2 after you arrive in Wales. You will not need to quarantine unless the result of the PCR test is positive. You still need to complete a passenger locator form.

28 January Wales

There will be no limits on how many people can meet indoors at pubs, restaurants, cinemas and theatres. Nightclubs will reopen.

21 January Wales

Sporting events can have crowds, with no limits on how many people can attend outdoor events.

15 January Wales

Up to 500 people can attend outdoor events.

6 January Wales

If you get a positive rapid lateral flow test result, most people will not need to take a PCR test to confirm the result. You must self-isolate immediately if you get a positive rapid lateral flow test result.

Testing and vaccinations

Testing for COVID-19

Find out how to get tested, what your test result means and how to report your result.

COVID-19 vaccination

Get your COVID-19 vaccination including booster dose, read about how vaccinations work and what happens when you have one.

Guidance and support

Staying safe

Includes advice on preventing the spread of COVID-19, mental health and domestic abuse

• How to stay safe and help prevent the spread

  COVID-19 remains a serious health risk. Find out how to manage the risks and protect yourself and others.

• How to get and use your NHS COVID Pass in England
• Face coverings: when to wear one, exemptions, and how to make your own
• Autumn and Winter Plan 2021: how the government will manage COVID-19 in England

Get help and support with domestic abuse, homelessness or if you’re vulnerable

• Domestic abuse: how to get help
• Help if you’re homeless or about to become homeless
• Get support if you cannot go out to get food or medicine from NHS Volunteer Responders

Get mental health support

• Get help coping with mental health problems during coronavirus from Mind
• Getting urgent help for mental health on the NHS website
• Looking after your mental health: Every Mind Matters on the NHS website

Testing and self-isolating

Includes information on getting tested for COVID-19, reporting your results and how to self-isolate

• Find out which COVID-19 test you should get on the NHS website

  Find out about the different types of COVID-19 test and how to get tested.

Getting tested

• Get a COVID-19 PCR test if you have symptoms
• Order rapid lateral flow tests if you do not have symptoms
• Get a test if you have a verification code
• Find out how to register a test kit on the NHS website

Report your test result

• Report a test result from a lateral flow test kit

Self-isolating: what you need to do

• When someone in your household has COVID-19 symptoms or has had a positive test result
• NHS test and trace: what to do if you are contacted

Getting support if you’re self-isolating

• Check if you can get a Test and Trace Support Payment
• Help and support while you're self-isolating on the NHS website
• Find out about getting statutory sick pay if you’re self-isolating

International travel

Includes showing your vaccination status, travelling to England and filling in your passenger locator form

• Travel abroad from England: what you need to do

  Find out the rules for travelling abroad.

• Find out how to use the NHS COVID Pass to show your vaccination status

Travelling to England

• Travel to England: what you need to do based on your vaccination status
• Check if a country is on the red list
• Fill in your passenger locator form
• Find a COVID-19 travel test provider

Long COVID

Includes advice, support and treatment options

• Information and guidance about long COVID on the NHS website

  Find out about the symptoms of long COVID and the treatment and support you can get.

• Get support on your COVID-19 recovery on the NHS website
• Find help and support if you have long COVID

Self-employment and businesses

Includes keeping your business safe and getting financial support

• Working safely: guidance for workplaces

  Find out how to reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in your workplace.

• How to carry out a COVID-19 risk assessment (Health and Safety Executive)
• Keeping records of staff, customers and visitors
• What to do if an employee is contacted by NHS Test and Trace

Get financial support

• Find coronavirus financial support for your business
• Access the Recovery Loan Scheme
• Claim back Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

Work and support

Includes guidance on finding work, self-employment and benefits, and support at work

• Being made redundant

  Guidance on finding work, claiming benefits, and managing debts and pensions if you’re being made redundant.

• If you're employed and cannot work
• If you’re self-employed but getting less or no work
• Apply for a Test and Trace support payment
• Advice for pregnant employees on health and safety

Schools, universities, education and childcare

Includes guidance for parents, carers, students and education settings

Advice for parents and carers during COVID-19

• Information for parents and carers about attending schools, nurseries and colleges during COVID-19
• Guidance for parents and carers of children attending out-of-school settings during COVID-19

Guidance on managing COVID-19 in different settings

• Contingency framework for managing local outbreaks of COVID-19 in education and childcare settings
• Guidance on running and managing early years, schools, colleges and other education providers during COVID-19

See all COVID-19 guidance on GOV.UK

See specific guidance for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

UK COVID-19 statistics

People tested positive

Daily 102,292

Last 7 days 646,796 -5,673 (-0.9%)

All case data
Latest data provided on 26 January 2022

Patients admitted to hospital

Daily 1,399

Last 7 days 12,721 -2,284 (-15.2%)

All healthcare data
Latest data provided on 22 January 2022

People vaccinated, percentage of population aged 12 and over

First dose 90.9% (52,265,883 people)

Second dose 83.9% (48,252,782 people)

Booster or third dose 64.4% (37,048,033 people)

All vaccination data
Latest data provided on 25 January 2022

• Daily summary of COVID-19 testing, cases and vaccinations
• Data and trends from the Office for National Statistics (ONS)
• All data and analysis on COVID-19

Announcements

• UK open for travel with all restrictions removed for eligible vaccinated arrivals

  Published 24 January 2022

• More support for schools and students as plan B comes to an end

  Published 24 January 2022

• England to return to Plan A following the success of the booster programme

  Published 19 January 2022

• NHS to rollout boosters to most at risk 12 to 15 year-olds

  Published 17 January 2022

• From 17 January people can end self-isolation after 5 full days if they get negative test results on days 5 and 6

  Published 13 January 2022

See all announcements

More COVID-19 information

• Guidance and regulation about COVID-19
• News and communications about COVID-19
• Research and statistics about COVID-19
• Policy papers and consultations about COVID-19
• Transparency and freedom of information releases about COVID-19
• COVID-19 legislation on legislation.gov.uk
• COVID-19 press conferences on YouTube
• Slides, datasets and transcripts from press conferences

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