Because of the phenomenal efforts we have all made over the last two years, including the incredible vaccine rollout, it is right that we now move away from relying on Government restrictions to exercising personal responsibility.
All remaining domestic restrictions in law will be removed. From 24 February, the legal requirement to self-isolate following a positive test, or for unvaccinated close contacts of COVID cases, ended. Until 1 April and the end of the winter, the advice will be that people who test positive stay at home.
Also from 1 April, free symptomatic and asymptomatic testing for the general public will end. Free symptomatic tests to the oldest age groups, and those most vulnerable to COVID-19, will continue to be provided and I look forward to learning more about this in due course.
I know that those who are most vulnerable to COVID-19 may be worried, so I am glad that the Government has committed to continuing to protect the most vulnerable with targeted vaccines and treatments. The UK is leading the way on antivirals and therapeutics, with our Antivirals Task Force securing a supply of almost 5 million doses. I understand that this is more per head than any other country in Europe.
Of course, uncertainty remains over the future path of the pandemic and the possibility of further resurgences of the virus. I am glad therefore that the resilience to manage and respond to the risks, including the world-leading ONS Survey and capabilities to ramp up testing, will be maintained.
We know that COVID-19 has not gone away, and it will not suddenly disappear, so I believe that we need to learn to live with the virus, continuing to protect ourselves without restricting freedoms.