What are the Plan B restrictions and when will the rules end?

PLAN B restrictions are to be scrapped by January 26, the Prime Minister has announced.

And all Covid restrictions including isolation are said set to end on March 24 as well. Here's what know about the new Plan B scrapping.

Has Plan B ended and are there any more Covid restrictions?

Plan B restrictions will be torn up from next week as it appears the Omicron wave has peaked.

Only work from home guidance and Covid passports for larger venues will last until January 26, when the rules expire by law.

Masks are no longer required in shops and public transport, and students in schools can take masks off from tomorrow in class.

The announcement marks a return to 'Plan A' but Johnson did tell the public to "think about" wearing a mask when still around new people in crowded settings.

It remains a legal requirement to isolate if people test positive.

The Plan B was due for its first review on January 26 and will now be scrapped at first offering, the PM announced after a bruising PMQs.

The light touch guidance in England, was contrasted by legal restrictions in the other home nations as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland all shut nightclubs after Christmas amongst their efforts to curb Omicron.

What was Plan B Covid in the UK?

Plan B has saw the return of measures seen in the UK's various lockdowns.

This included making face coverings for most indoor venues, such as shops and cinema's, and vaccine passports mandatory in nightclubs and large-capacity venues.

The UK was also advised of returning to working from home where possible.

Vaccine passports were extended to include a negative lateral flow as sufficient proof of entry.

Boris Johnson announced the Plan B measures on December 8, 2021, and they came into effect on Wednesday, December 15 after passing a parliament vote.

He said the key response to Omicron was to buy time.

What were the Plan B Covid restrictions?

The most recent round of guidance, asking Brits to work from home came into force on December 13, 2021.

Working from home

Under Plan B all but essential workers were asked to work remotely like they did between March 2020 and last July's Freedom Day.

People are advised to take lateral flow tests (LFTs) before entering any "high-risk setting", including busy areas and some workplaces.

Vaccine passports

Vaccine passports were also launched for large venues like football matches and nightclubs.

At the moment the definition of fully-vaccinated is two jabs rather than three, and a negative lateral flow test will also count.

Face masks

Mandatory face masks - the third prong of the Government's Plan B - were already in force for shops and public transport since November 30, 2021, to stem the rising tide of Omicron.

Plan B was extended to all "crowded and enclosed settings" which includes large capacity venues.

It included theatres, cinemas and hairdressers - but not in pubs or restaurants, or venues such as gyms where it's "not practical".