British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's planned lifting of coronavirus restrictions under his government's new "living with COVID" strategy hit a last-minute snag, Reuters reports, as a cabinet meeting to sign off on the plan was delayed and Scottish and Welsh leaders spoke out against it. "Testing has played a pivotal role in breaking chains of transmission and as a surveillance tool helping us detect and respond to emerging variants," said Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford. "It's essential that this continues."
The effort would make Britain the first major European country to let people diagnosed with COVID-19 work, shop, and use public transport, but would also restrict access to free testing. Johnson said on Sunday that people shouldn't "throw caution to the wind," but that the success of the U.K. vaccination program meant the nation could start relying on personal responsibility rather than government mandates to curb infections. A Johnson spokesman said on Monday that the cabinet meeting was postponed "so that the prime minister could have both a security briefing and to have further meetings to finalize the plan on living with COVID."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
What are Trump's plans for public health?Today's Big Question From abortion access to vaccine mandates
-
GOP's Mace seeks federal anti-trans bathroom banSpeed Read Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina has introduced legislation to ban transgender people from using federal facilities
-
US charges Indian tycoon with bribery, fraudSpeed Read Indian billionaire Gautam Adani has been indicted by US prosecutors for his role in a $265 million scheme to secure solar energy deals
-
Has the Taliban banned women from speaking?Today's Big Question 'Rambling' message about 'bizarre' restriction joins series of recent decrees that amount to silencing of Afghanistan's women
-
Cuba's energy crisisThe Explainer Already beset by a host of issues, the island nation is struggling with nationwide blackouts
-
Putin's fixation with shamansUnder the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseasesUnder the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi GrasThe Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 MarchPuzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary voteSpeed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
