I am very pleased with this sensible and proportionate approach to the end of covid restrictions that will allow the majority to get on with their lives while protecting the vulnerable.
The key here is that we are not in the same position we were just 12 months ago. We understand the virus much more, the vaccines work and we have antiviral treatments that have cut serious illness. It is time to move on.
We cannot be complacent and we must think about others when we go about our daily business but the government has made it clear it will continue to look after those who need extra help. Those over-75s and people with suppressed immune systems are to be offered another Covid-19 booster jab in the weeks to come.
We have good economic growth and job vacancies in the UK but we also, like many countries, have a cost-of-living crisis. The biggest challenge to us now is the cost of living and we need to keep up that economic growth to ensure we can mitigate those costs and balance the country’s books too after unprecedented spending on the pandemic.
