DORSET residents have reacted to news England will be scrapping Covid restrictions this week.

Under the new plan for 'Living with Covid', the legal requirement to self-isolate after testing positive for the virus, will end on Thursday. Free lateral flow tests will also be scrapped from April 1.

The news has been greeted with trepidation by many, who say vulnerable people will be left at risk by the changes.

However, Conor Burns, Bournemouth West MP, said: "I think it is good news we are going to be the first country to be completely without restrictions and to move on from Covid. It is really, really good, particularly for an economy like ours which is heavily reliant on the tourism and leisure industries."

On the end of free Covid testing for the majority of the population, Mr Burns said: "I think the Prime Minister made it very clear that there will be further announcements on the categories of people who will be eligible for free testing from April.

"The reality is we have to learn to live with this. We have to continue to look after those with diminished immune system and the vulnerable."

Christchurch MP Sir Christopher Chope said Boris Johnson's statement in the House of Commons was "one of the best announcements I have heard in a long time".

"It was music to my ears," Sir Christopher added.

The backbench MP said it was "reasonable" that people who want to get a test from April should pay for them, while vulnerable residents could still access them without a charge.

Sir Christopher said: "You have had to pay for a test if you are travelling abroad, so if people want to have tests for whatever reason going forward they should pay for it."

Some local businesses in the hospitality industry are welcoming the removal of Covid restrictions.

Andy Lennox, founder of the Wonky Table said: “All of our members are ecstatic that restrictions are finally over and we can return to some kind of normality."

Mark Cribb, owner of Bournemouth’s Urban Guild venues, said: "For hospitality this will be our first full summer's trading for three years so we’re really excited for the Easter holidays to kick in and I'm excited that this summer will be the best we've had since 2019."

Speaking about Covid guidance for his staff, he said: "I guess where we're not testing then we won’t know when people have Covid, so I guess inevitability that there will be people at work with Covid, but I guess the government are aware of that.

“I think if people test positive for Covid we’ll ask them to stay at home for a few days, wait to see if any symptoms develop and then depending on how that progresses maybe they can come back to work a little bit before they previously could but obviously people who test positive and they have symptoms then we will be insisting that they stay off.”

Tom Doherty, managing director of the HR Dept in Bournemouth, Poole, East Dorset and the New Forest, said: "Obviously it’s down to the businesses themselves to look at their own rules.

“Ultimately there's no legal basis after February 24 for people to continue to isolate but the advice probably to everyone would always be if you're not feeling well enough, regardless of the nature of the illness, to attend work then you shouldn't and that's always been the case.

“What has effectively happened is that the government has not given a huge amount of notice for this to end and like a lot of businesses everyone is going to have to figure it out, in the bounds of their people, their business and what the rules are.

“We are advising to be considerate, to think about people's views, clearly communicate what rules you will be putting in place and be transparent in what you're trying to achieve.”

Members of the public had mixed views on the removal of restrictions on Thursday.

Jamie Evans, 32, who works in retail, said: “It’s a good thing that restrictions are being scrapped. I worked in a supermarket during the worst of it, but I’m done with it all now. We have to move on.”

Mary Wilkinson, 71, retired, said: “I don’t think we should be getting rid of restrictions. I will still be wearing my mask but if we all stop isolating when positive then how do we know if new variants come about?”

Student Lucy Bradshaw, 20, said: “I understand why some people will feel uneasy so I think we should all be considerate and see how it goes.”