Covid: Plan B mask rules and covid passes end to day - latest information

Plan B rules have been relaxed today (January 27) meaning face coverings and Covid passes are no longer legally required across England.

The government has relaxed the rules due to the success of the vaccine rollout and a better understanding of Covid treatments.

Wearing a mask is now “a matter of personal judgement”.

Public transport providers are encouraging passengers to wear face coverings, but not forcing customers to comply.

There is also public health guidance which urges people to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces.

Working-from-home guidance and advice on face masks in secondary school classrooms has also been dropped.

What have local public transport providers said about the end of Plan B rules?

National Express West Midlands said: “Choosing to wear a face covering in crowded or enclosed spaces can help to stop the spread of Covid19.”

The local bus service provider added:

• We’re still doing our enhanced cleaning of shared surfaces.
• We’re still regularly applying a long-lasting antimicrobial protective coating to surfaces on the bus which is certified to kill covid - even between cleans.
• Cleaners are still jumping on buses at key interchanges, town centres and bus stations to give buses an extra wipedown.
• Buses are still leaving the depot with particular windows open to keep fresh air flowing through the bus. Our buses open their doors every 2 minutes on average.

A West Midlands Railway spokesperson said: “While face coverings are no longer mandatory from today, we are asking our passengers to continue to wear them on busy trains or stations, in line with Government advice.”

What has the government said about the change in Plan B rules?

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said: : “Our vaccines, testing and antivirals ensure we have some of the strongest defences in Europe and are allowing us to cautiously return to Plan A, restoring more freedoms to this country.

“As we learn to live with Covid, we need to be clear-eyed that this virus is not going away, so if you haven’t already, please come forward for your first, second or booster jab.”

Latest daily figures show infections remain high, with 102,292 cases reported on Wednesday.

Some 346 more people have died in the UK within 28 days of a positive test, bringing the total number of deaths by this measure to 154,702.

More than 37 million people have now had their booster or third jab - 64% of the population - with another 51,097 doses given out in the latest 24-hour period.

What have the people of Birmingham said about wearing masks in secondary schools?

Dermot says: “Mask wearing - it’s an inconvenience, but it’s hardly a killer is it? And apparently it does work to lessen the spread. So why not?”

Rachel says: “I think it’s been a real shame that kids have been having to wear masks in schools, like we’re at university, and we haven’t been so much - you kind of have a bit, but just thinking about doing that school is bizarre. I think that was probably a bit too much.”

“It just really changed their experience, and they’ve gone from being at home all the time, and not being able to see their friends to then being able to not like, you know, see their friends faces and like, read emotions and stuff. It’s been really weird.”

James says: “I think, if I look back to my time at school, if the context fits it then, you know, removing these restrictions are probably going to be beneficial to the social health and education of kids.”

“You know, I understand that there’s a risk to parents and older people and households. But, you know, the mortality amongst children is, i”s not the highest, with this. So I support it if it’s feasible across the board.

Dobbir says: “I think it’s absolutely necessary for the socialisation of children. It’s just, you can sort of see with young kids, especially that they’re sort of nervous around other children, they don’t know how to, they haven’t had the chance to interact.

“And it’s been about two years now, where an entire generation has been affected by it. I think the sort of repercussions are going to be seen, like, in future.”

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