England set to get rid of its final virus restrictions

England may soon sweep away its remaining restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the novel coronavirus, the United Kingdom's prime minister has announced.

Boris Johnson said rules, including the legal requirement for people who test positive for COVID-19 to self-isolate, seem to be nearing the end of their usefulness.

He told lawmakers he plans to order an end to all restrictions when Parliament returns from a recess on Feb 21, assuming the data continues to support it.

The relaxation would only apply to England.

The devolved governments of Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland have all said their restrictions will continue to apply, with Scotland saying this week it intends to extend its rules until late September.

Johnson, who has been under intense pressure recently for allegedly partying during the nation's novel coronavirus lockdowns, was accused of making the announcement in an attempt to deflect attention away from his problems.

Wes Streeting, the opposition Labour Party's spokesman on health issues, told the BBC the prime minister's announcement amounted to "a series of throwaway remarks designed to dig him out of a political hole, with absolutely no plan to back it up".

Streeting said the government should draw up a plan for "living well with COVID" before even thinking about removing the last of England's restrictions.

He said the plan would need to include improved sick pay and more virus-testing.

With the UK recording 68,214 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday and another 276 deaths, Scope, a charity that campaigns for people with disabilities, said those at risk of dying from COVID-19 will be placed in harm's way if restrictions are ended too soon.

James Taylor, an executive director of the charity, told the BBC: "Nobody should be forced to gamble with their lives, and we need the government to explain to disabled people how they'll be safe when this decision is introduced."

Peter Openshaw, a professor who advises the government on novel coronavirus issues, said on Radio 4's World at One it would be advisable to remain cautious because of the risk posed by new strains of the virus.

"We don't know what's around the corner," he said. "Another variant ...could come back to bite us anytime."

Openshaw said he is also expecting another seasonal novel coronavirus fl are-up in the winter.

Despite Johnson's announcement of an impending relaxation of England's virus rules, his alleged breaches of lockdown regulations continued to dominate the front pages on Thursday.

Many newspapers led with a new photograph of an alleged indiscretion, and with reports that the Metropolitan Police will send emails to at least 50 people who may have knowledge of lockdown parties the prime minister is thought to have attended.

Many lawmakers from Johnson's ruling Conservative Party have said they will call for his resignation if the police probe, known as Operation Hillman, finds he broke rules he helped create.

The Guardian newspaper said the investigation involves 12 alleged illegal gatherings on eight different days.

Former UK prime minister John Major, who is a member of the Conservative Party that Johnson now leads, said on Thursday he has heard enough.

During a speech at the Institute for Government think tank in Brussels, he said: "The prime minister and our present government not only challenge the law, but also seem to believe that they, and they alone, need not obey the rules."