THE Plan B Covid restrictions could be lifted by the end of the month, it has emerged - as the Covid rate fell dramatically again in York today.

Tory party chairman Oliver Dowden told Sky News' he was 'hopeful' after 'promising data' on coronavirus infections and hospitalisations.

The Plan B rules were introduced as the country was swept by the highly transmissible Omicron variant at the beginning of December.

They include working from home where possible, the mandatory wearing of face masks in some settings and the use of vaccine passports or negative lateral flow tests to enter some venues.

They are due to be reviewed in 10 days time.

In York, the rolling seven-day infection rate in the week to January 11 was 1,150.6 cases per 100,000 population, having been as high as 1,856.3 earlier this month.

Nationwide, the rate is at its lowest for a month at 70,924.