Covid: Self-isolation laws set to end in England, and Australia prepares for tourist reopeningon February 20, 2022 at 7:35 am

Here are five things you need to know about the coronavirus pandemic this Sunday. We’ll have another update for you tomorrow morning.

As part of a “living with Covid” strategy, the legal requirement to self-isolate after catching Covid in England is expected to be dropped from next week. Downing Street has confirmed that all remaining virus restrictions in the country are set to end in the coming days. Labour warned against “declaring victory before the war is over”, but Boris Johnson said the vaccine has changed the outlook. All remaining rules in Northern Ireland stopped being legally binding on Tuesday, while Wales is currently at its lowest level of restrictions. Meanwhile, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will update MSPs on the pandemic on Tuesday.

The prime minister has refused to say whether he will resign if police investigating Downing Street parties come to a decision they want to take action against him. It comes after Boris Johnson returned his questionnaire to police, who are looking at potential lockdown breaches. When asked whether he would resign if police decide he broke the law, the PM told the BBC’s Sophie Raworth in an interview for the Sunday Morning Programme: “I can’t comment about a process that is under way.” Read more about what the police are investigating.

Australia will welcome vaccinated tourists and other visa holders on Monday after nearly two years of sealing its borders. “The wait is over,” Prime Minister Scott Morrison told a briefing at the Melbourne International Airport. Australia has had some of the world’s strictest border controls throughout the coronavirus pandemic.

Following three weeks of protests by demonstrators in front of Canada’s parliament, police in Ottawa have cleared the main site, arresting more than 170 people. Police confirmed on Twitter they had used pepper spray on some protesters, and some demonstrators who resisted were thrown to the ground and had their hands zip-tied behind their backs. The protest began last month as a truck convoy headed to Ottawa to oppose a vaccine mandate for truckers crossing the US-Canada border and grew into a broader opposition to pandemic restrictions

Young children are now more exposed to being groomed online due to a reliance on tech devices in lockdown, a charity has claimed. Barnardo’s Cymru warns children have become more trusting online because of home schooling and socialising over the internet during the pandemic. It comes after the Internet Watch Foundation found sexual content uploaded by children in 2021 was up 374% on 2019.

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More than 10 billion doses of coronavirus vaccines have now been administered, in at least 197 countries worldwide. However, there are vast differences in the pace of progress in different parts of the world.

You can find more information, advice and guides on our coronavirus page.

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