People with COVID-19 won't be legally required to self-isolate in England starting in the coming week, the U.K. government has announced, as part of a plan for "living with COVID" that is also likely to see testing for the coronavirus scaled back.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said ending all of the legal restrictions brought in to curb the spread of the virus will let people in the U.K. "protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms." He is expected to lay out details of the plan in Parliament on Monday.
"I'm not saying that we should throw caution to the winds, but now is the moment for everybody to get their confidence back," Johnson told the BBC in an interview broadcast Sunday.
"We've reached a stage where we think you can shift the balance away from state mandation, away from banning certain courses of action, compelling certain courses of action, in favor of encouraging personal responsibility."
But some of the government's scientific advisers said it was a risky move that could bring a surge in infections and weaken the country's defenses against more virulent future strains.
Wes Streeting, health spokesman for the main opposition Labour Party, accused Johnson of "declaring victory before the war is over."
A reminder that the coronavirus remains widespread came with the news that Queen Elizabeth II tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday. Buckingham Palace said the 95-year-old monarch was experiencing mild, cold-like symptoms.
Johnson's Conservative government lifted most virus restrictions in January, scrapping vaccine passports for venues and ending mask mandates in most settings apart from hospitals in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, which set their own public health rules, also have opened up, although more slowly.
A combination of high vaccination rates in the U.K. and the milder omicron variant means easing restrictions didn't lead to a surge in hospitalizations and deaths. Both are falling, though the U.K. still has Europe's highest coronavirus toll after Russia, with more than 160,000 recorded deaths.
In Britain, 85% of people age 12 and up have had two vaccine doses and almost two-thirds have had a third booster shot.
Now the Conservative government says it will remove "all remaining domestic COVID regulations that restrict public freedoms" as part of a "move away from government intervention to personal responsibility."
The legal requirement to isolate for at least five days after a positive COVID-19 test will be replaced with advisory measures, and the coronavirus will be treated more like the flu as it becomes endemic.
The new plan foresees vaccines and treatments keeping the virus in check, though the government said "surveillance systems and contingency measures will be retained" if needed.
"COVID will not suddenly disappear, and we need to learn to live with this virus and continue to protect ourselves without restricting our freedoms," Johnson said.
The announcement will please many Conservative Party lawmakers, who argue that the restrictions were inefficient and disproportionate. It could also shore up Johnson's position among party lawmakers, who have been mulling an attempt to oust him over scandals including lockdown-breaching government parties during the pandemic.
But scientists stressed that much remains unknown about the virus, and future variants that may be more severe than the currently dominant omicron strain.
The New and Emerging Virus Threats Advisory Group, which advises the government, said last week that the idea viruses become progressively milder "is a common misconception." It said the milder illness associated with omicron "is likely a chance event" and future variants could be more severe or evade current vaccines.
Epidemic modelers who advise the government also warned that "a sudden change, such as an end to testing and isolation, has the scope to lead to a return to rapid epidemic growth" if people throw caution to the wind.
Scientists also cautioned against scrapping free rapid coronavirus tests, which have been distributed by the millions during the pandemic. Health officials say the mass testing has played an important role in slowing the spread of the virus.
Scientists are also concerned the government might end the Infection Survey conducted by the Office for National Statistics, which is considered invaluable because it tests people whether or not they have symptoms.
"This is not the time to take risks," said Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, an umbrella group for state-funded health authorities in Britain. "We need to operate in an evidence-based and incremental way."
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is warning that Donald Trump’s promise to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods arriving in the United States from Canada and Mexico could have a 'devastating' effect on the province’s economy.
Premier François Legault says President-elect Donald Trump's threat of a 25 per cent tariff on all imports would pose a 'huge risk' to the Quebec and Canadian economies.
Canada's premiers are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold an urgent first ministers' meeting ahead of the return to office of president-elect Donald Trump.
With the United States being Alberta’s top trade partner, sweeping 25 per cent tariffs proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump could have a major effect on the province’s economy.
Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit.
After telling Canadians that New Democrats would back Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's holiday affordability package and help pass it quickly, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh now wants it split up, as he's only ready to support part of it. Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the Liberals are 'certainly open to working with the opposition parties,' to find a path forward.
Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo.
A corporal in the Canadian Army has been fined $2,000 and given a severe reprimand for wearing service medals he didn't earn during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Alberta two years ago.
Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo.
A corporal in the Canadian Army has been fined $2,000 and given a severe reprimand for wearing service medals he didn't earn during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Alberta two years ago.
Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit.
Canada's premiers are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold an urgent first ministers' meeting ahead of the return to office of president-elect Donald Trump.
A First Nation says it wasn't meaningfully consulted before the British Columbia government "effectively greenlit" what has been called the world's largest undeveloped gold mining project.
A 62-year-old man from the U.S., who took a wrong turn to the Canadian border thanks to his GPS device, is now facing a firearms-related charge.
Nov. 25 marks International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. In 2023, on average, 140 women and girls were killed per day, UN says.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.
Mexico's president Claudia Sheinbaum said she has a plan to reduce the popularity of “narco corridos,” a musical genre often linked to drug cartel violence.
Google is fighting to beat back another attack by the U.S. Department of Justice alleging monopolistic conduct over its advertising technology.
The United Arab Emirates said Monday police arrested three Uzbek nationals for the killing of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi, an attack that's raised concerns for the burgeoning Israeli community in the country.
A U.S. judge on Monday dismissed the federal criminal case accusing Donald Trump of attempting to overturn his 2020 election defeat after prosecutors moved to drop that prosecution and a second case against the president-elect, citing Justice Department policy against prosecuting a sitting U.S. president.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.
Canada's premiers are asking Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to hold an urgent first ministers' meeting ahead of the return to office of president-elect Donald Trump.
After telling Canadians that New Democrats would back Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's holiday affordability package and help pass it quickly, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh now wants it split up, as he's only ready to support part of it. Public Services Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said the Liberals are 'certainly open to working with the opposition parties,' to find a path forward.
Bird flu virus has been found in a batch of raw milk sold in California, and consumers should not drink it, the state Department of Public Health warned Sunday.
According to the province’s Public Health Ministry, Quebec has the highest rate in the country of people under the age of 25 diagnosed with ADHD.
Canadians might have noticed menopause is increasingly a topic of conversation outside of health circles, gaining profile in entertainment and popular culture
Bluesky, the rapidly growing social media platform, is violating EU regulations by failing to disclose important details, a European Commission spokesperson told reporters during a daily briefing on Monday.
An advocate for major social media platforms told an Australian Senate committee Monday that laws to ban children younger than 16 from the sites should be delayed until next year at least instead of being rushed through the Parliament this week.
Canadian neurosurgeons in partnership with Elon Musk's Neuralink have regulatory approval to recruit six patients with paralysis willing to have a thousand electrode contacts in their brains.
Drake is taking his musical stylings Down Under with a short Australian tour set to kick off on the same date as rival Kendrick Lamar's Super Bowl halftime performance.
A memorial tribute to Broadway star Gavin Creel is planned next Monday in the theater where he starred in “Into the Woods” and will be livestreamed online.
British pop star Ed Sheeran has apologized to Ruben Amorim after inadvertently interrupting the new Manchester United head coach during a live television interview.
Kim Dotcom, Internet entrepreneur fighting deportation to the U.S. on charges relating to his file-sharing website Megaupload, has suffered a “serious stroke.”
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.
A Connecticut couple is accused of running an elaborate theft ring at Lululemon stores in multiple states, stealing nearly a million dollars from the company.
The Chess World Championship begins in Singapore on Monday with China's Ding Liren seeking to defend his title against India's Gukesh Dommaraju, better known as Gukesh D, who is still just 18 years old and could become the youngest ever person to be crowned world champion.
The Australian government introduced what it's called 'world-leading' legislation in parliament this week to wipe social media accounts – including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X – from the devices of children under 16.
They are tiny insects that are often overlooked or stepped on, but ants are marching not only into people’s backyards, but also their homes, as the popularity of ant-keeping rises in Canada.
NBA legend Charles Barkley has criticized the Los Angeles Lakers over their handling of Bronny James this season.
The Utah Hockey Club got the full Toronto experience Sunday night ahead of their first-ever matchup against the Maple Leafs—bumper-to-bumper traffic that forced the team to walk to the game.
Two weeks after the Vancouver Whitecaps’ playoff run ended in the first round, the team has fired head coach Vanni Sartini.
Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles from Kia, Hyundai and Genesis are being recalled in Canada over a potential power loss issue that can increase the risk of a crash.
Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost.
Canadian drivers are regularly in a hurry to get to their destination and a majority are willing to take unnecessary risks on the road, according to the results of a new survey.
Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo.
Every single item misplaced on a bus or ferry in the Halifax Regional Municipality ends up in a small office at the Halifax Transit Bridge Terminal in Dartmouth, N.S.
A new public opinion survey has found that 40 per cent of Torontonians don’t feel safe, while half reported that the quality of life in the city has worsened over the last year.
Edmonton's theatre community is in mourning after an actor died during a performance of "A Christmas Carol" at the Citadel Theatre on Sunday.
A beaver found with an arrow shot through its torso is now recovering at Shades of Hope Wildlife Refuge in Pefferlaw, Ont. after a massive rescue effort.
The family of a soldier who fought during the Second World War has been reunited with letters written to him 80 years ago.
The holidays may be a time for family, joy and togetherness, but they can also be hard on the wallet.
Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas.
After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that.
The tree at the B.C. legislature is already up and decorated, but you would be hard pressed to spot an MLA in the hallways, and they won't gather in the chamber for more than two months, until February's Throne Speech.
A social media poster has shared an up-close encounter with a coyote on a leafy residential street in a Vancouver neighbourhood.
On Monday, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, YWCA Metro Vancouver rolled out an ad campaign aimed at educating people about how prevalent sexual violence is in their communities.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is warning that Donald Trump’s promise to impose a 25 per cent tariff on goods arriving in the United States from Canada and Mexico could have a 'devastating' effect on the province’s economy.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.
Ontario's Progressive Conservative government has passed a controversial law that will force municipalities to seek approval for installing new bike lanes on arterial roads and could see some existing bike lanes torn up.
With the United States being Alberta’s top trade partner, sweeping 25 per cent tariffs proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump could have a major effect on the province’s economy.
Animal shelters in Calgary are facing a crisis as the number of people surrendering pets continues to rise.
Premier Danielle Smith says she is continuing to meet with Mayor Jyoti Gondek about Calgary's Green Line project and her government remains committed to bringing the line all the way to Seton.
Environment Canada has issued a freezing rain warning for Ottawa as a low-pressure system moves across eastern Ontario on Monday.
The City of Ottawa's Transit Commission has approved the 2025 draft transit budget and has voted in favour of a smaller, but still significant, fare hike for seniors.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.
Premier François Legault says President-elect Donald Trump's threat of a 25 per cent tariff on all imports would pose a 'huge risk' to the Quebec and Canadian economies.
A 'mixed bag' of precipitation is in store for the Greater Montreal area, according to Environment and Climate Change Canada.
Former Montreal mayor — and Quebec Liberal leadership candidate — Denis Coderre has listed his home for sale amid his tax troubles with Revenu Quebec.
Edmonton's theatre community is in mourning after an actor died during a performance of "A Christmas Carol" at the Citadel Theatre on Sunday.
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said on Monday that on his first day in office he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all products from Mexico and Canada, and an additional 10 per cent tariff on goods from China, citing concerns over illegal immigration and the trade of illicit drugs.
With the United States being Alberta’s top trade partner, sweeping 25 per cent tariffs proposed by President-Elect Donald Trump could have a major effect on the province’s economy.
Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit.
A 61-year-old man is facing unsafe storage charges in connection with the homicide of 17-year-old Tyson MacDonald on P.E.I., last December.
The International Day for the Elimination for Violence against Women kicked off 16 days of Activism against gender-based violence on Monday.
Manitoba’s police watchdog is investigating a deadly police shooting at Winnipeg's Unicity Shopping Centre Sunday evening.
Manitoba municipalities want action from the province to deal with what one rural mayor describes as an alarming number of needles turning up in rural communities.
A city report is recommending an option to replace a closed bridge that is considered beyond repair, but those funds may not be available in the budget.
The Saskatchewan Party government said it will prioritize affordability in the coming months during its Throne Speech on Monday, that officially kicked off a short two-week sitting inside the legislature.
Ruben Manz faced questions from the prosecution Monday as his sexual assault trial enters the final week of scheduled proceedings.
Following a second significant dump of snow in less than a week, the City of Regina says it plans to have all high priority roadways cleared by 7:00 a.m. Tuesday.
The City of Waterloo is trying to make its roads safer by putting together a report on some of the locations with the most crashes in the past five years.
A single mother and her disabled, terminally ill son are facing an overwhelming transportation crisis after their accessible van was vandalized beyond repair.
SOAR Community Services opened a new support centre in Brantford to help those experiencing homelessness, but some neighbours are questioning its Murray Street location.
With the second major snowfall of the year happening less than a week after the first, it’s all hands-on deck as residents and businesses tackle heaps of the white stuff.
The City of Saskatoon has chosen not to activate its roadways emergency response plan despite a weekend of heavy snowfall reaching the 25-centimetre threshold.
Two people are dead following a two-vehicle crash on Highway 4 Friday evening.
Carol Sheaves of Moncton, N.B., says it's not fair that retirees like her won't get the government's newly proposed rebate cheques. Sheaves was among the seniors who expressed their frustrations to CTVNews.ca about not being eligible for the $250 government benefit.
There's a new store at the corner of Elm and Durham streets called Shroomyz, selling an illegal product: magic mushrooms.
An intoxicated woman in Elliot Lake has been charged with breaking into her neighbour's apartment and choking their dog.
London police said that no-one was injured when the back entrance of a downtown cannabis shop was sprayed with gunfire early on Monday morning.
A good reminder for Londoners to lock their cars, a woman is facing charges after being spotted trying to open car doors in the east end of the city over the weekend.
A weekend house fire has left a family displaced and taken the life of a beloved pet. The blaze at 454 Alston Road broke out shortly after 12:30 p.m.
James Schwalm sat in the prisoner’s box Monday morning weeping as friends and family members told the court about the devastation he caused when he murdered his wife, Ashley Milnes, two years ago inside their Collingwood, Ont. home.
A Thornhill resident accused of driving at a high rate of speed along Highway 11 in Muskoka while impaired faces charges.
Fire crews battled flames and thick smoke shooting from a seasonal home in Tiny Township on Monday.
City councillor Renaldo Agostino is looking to add another tool the city can use to help discourage property owners from leaving apartment buildings vacant.
Windsor police were on the scene of what was being called an, "active investigation" on Monday afternoon. "Expect a sustained police presence in the area," read a post on social media.
The memorial, near the intersection of Walker Road and Niagara Street has flowers, wreaths, pictures of the victims and messages from loved ones, family and friends.
Mounties say a suspected impaired driver was arrested over the weekend after crashing his SUV into an unmarked police vehicle on Vancouver Island.
Andrea Arnold is used to having to slow down to let deer cross the road in her Northern B.C. community. But this weekend she saw something that made her pull over and snap a photo.
A corporal in the Canadian Army has been fined $2,000 and given a severe reprimand for wearing service medals he didn't earn during a Remembrance Day ceremony in Alberta two years ago.
Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops.
British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
Alberta Opposition Leader Naheed Nenshi says a decision not to mail out voter registration cards due to the Canada Post strike could hurt turnout in a provincial byelection that's been called for a week before Christmas.
Lethbridge businesses are starting to feel the pressure after 11 days of the Canada Post workers’ strike. The strike comes right as the Christmas shopping season is kicking into high gear.
The City of Lethbridge activated its snow routes Monday for the first time this season.
Two commercial motor vehicle drivers were killed Monday morning in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 17 near Kenora.
A 24-year-old in Sault Ste. Marie has been charged with attacking a rideshare driver and a police officer.
Three people have been charged with numerous drug and weapons offences following an incident at a gas station in Bruce Mines, Ont., on Nov. 21.
A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen.
An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.
A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized.
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