Embattled UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Wednesday that most COVID-19 restrictions in place in England will be lifted in the coming week.

Speaking to the House of Commons after a barrage of questions over his involvement in alleged lockdown parties, Johnson said that people would no longer be required to wear masks in closed spaces, work from home, or prove that they had been vaccinated to access public places.

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Johnson said that the restrictions would be lifted in view of a successful booster programme that had resulted in 90% of people aged 60 years and above getting the booster dose.

“Because of the extraordinary booster campaign… we can return to Plan A in England and allow Plan B regulations to expire,” the Prime Minister said.

The 57-year-old added that scientists believed that the omicron wave had peaked in the UK, and the rules would be relaxed in light of scientific data.

Johnson warned however that the pandemic was “not over” and urged the those who had not yet taken the booster shot to get jabbed at the earliest.

“We know that around 90 percent of people in intensive care are not boosted…omicron is not a mild disease for everyone, especially if you’re not vaccinated,” warned the 57-year-old.

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However, charting a course back to normalcy, Johnson said that legal requirements would be phased out: “As COVID becomes endemic, we will need to replace legal requirements with advice and guidance, urging people with the virus to be careful and considerate of others.”

The announcement of the imminent relaxation of rules has been seen by many as a concession to appease people and political critics who remain furious at the Prime Minister’s involvement in lockdown parties at 10 Downing Street in contravention of the government’s own COVID rules.