Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in England (2022) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

This page shares a timeline of important events about the COVID-19 pandemic in England during 2022. Rules and how things were reported were different in England compared to Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

COVID-19 Timeline in England (2022)
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COVID-19 Timeline in England (2022)

January 2022

1 January –
- Even though big New Year events were cancelled in London, many people still gathered. The fireworks happened, but people were asked to stay home because of COVID-19 risks.
- Two important health leaders for England, Professor Chris Whitty and Professor Jonathan Van-Tam, were given special honours (knighted) for their work.
2 January –
- Government ministers said there was no need for new COVID-19 rules in England. They encouraged people to stay calm.
- The UK government announced that students in England would need to wear face masks in schools when classes started again after the Christmas break.
3 January –
- Schools in England were told to get ready for staff being absent due to COVID-19. They were advised to combine classes or use different teaching methods.
- Some hospitals in Lincolnshire declared a "major incident" because many staff were off sick with COVID-19. This happened in six NHS hospital groups.
5 January –
- Figures showed that about one in fifteen people in the UK had COVID-19 around New Year's Eve. Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that special measures (called Plan B) would stay in place for three more weeks in England.
- Rules for COVID-19 tests in England changed. If someone tested positive with a quick lateral flow test and had no symptoms, they no longer needed a follow-up PCR test. They still had to self-isolate for seven days.
6 January –
- Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said that PCR tests for people travelling to and from England were no longer very useful. This was because the Omicron variant was already widespread.
7 January –
- From this date, fully vaccinated people travelling to England no longer needed a COVID-19 test before they left. Also, they didn't have to self-isolate while waiting for PCR test results.
- About 200 military staff were sent to help hospitals and ambulance services in England that were short on staff.
11 January –
- People in England without COVID-19 symptoms no longer needed a PCR test to confirm a positive lateral flow test.
- Data showed that about one in twelve teachers in England were absent from schools during the first week of the winter term.
13 January –
- Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that the self-isolation period in England after a positive COVID-19 test would be cut to five full days from January 17.
- The number of people waiting for hospital treatment in England reached six million.
17 January –
- Several train companies, including Avanti West Coast and South Western Railway, started emergency timetables. This was to manage with fewer staff due to COVID-19 absences.
19 January –
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that rules like showing COVID-19 passes and wearing face coverings in some places would end after January 26. The advice to work from home would also stop.
- However, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said that masks would still be required on Transport for London services.
21 January – The "major incident" declared in London in December due to Omicron cases was ended.
24 January – The UK and Scottish Governments announced that vaccinated people arriving in England and Scotland would no longer need COVID-19 tests from February 11.
25 January – Figures showed that about one million children in England were absent from school on January 20 due to COVID-19.
27 January – Plan B measures were lifted in England. This meant the rule for wearing masks ended. However, some shops and train companies still encouraged people to wear them.
31 January –
- Health Secretary Sajid Javid announced that the rule for frontline NHS staff in England to be vaccinated would be removed.
- Rules for care homes in England became more relaxed. Residents could have unlimited visitors, and self-isolation after a positive test was cut from fourteen to ten days.
- Children in England aged 5–11 who were at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 could now get their first vaccine.

February 2022

7 February – Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to reduce the long waiting lists for NHS treatments in England.
9 February – Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped to end all remaining COVID-19 rules in England later in the month. This included the legal need to self-isolate if you tested positive.
15 February – Figures showed that the number of children being taught at home in England had increased by 34% since the start of the pandemic.
16 February –
- England announced that children aged five to eleven would be offered a "low dose" COVID-19 vaccine. Health Secretary Sajid Javid said it would not be urgent and would be a choice for parents.
- The number of patients in hospital with COVID-19 in England fell below 10,000 for the first time since December 2021.
21 February – Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that all domestic COVID-19 rules in England would be lifted from Thursday, February 24. This included the legal need to self-isolate. Free mass COVID-19 testing would also stop on April 1.
22 February – Headteachers warned that ending COVID-19 measures in schools too quickly could cause more problems for children's education.
24 February –
- All legal COVID-19 restrictions in England were officially lifted.
- The rule for wearing face masks on Transport for London services was also removed.

March 2022

1 March – The UK government confirmed that the rule for care home workers in England to be vaccinated would be lifted from March 15.
11 March – A report showed the "devastating" impact of school closures in England during the pandemic. It said this was making inequality worse, especially in the North East of England.
15 March –
- A study showed a huge increase in demand for mental health services. Referrals for specialist NHS mental health care in England reached a record high by the end of 2021.
- The Cheltenham Festival began, with crowds allowed to attend for the first time since 2020.
18 March – The last remaining legal COVID-19 restrictions in England related to international travel were removed.
21 March – NHS England started its Spring Booster Programme. This offered a booster vaccine to people over 75, care home residents, and those over 12 who were medically vulnerable.
29 March – The UK government published a list of people in England who would still get free lateral flow tests from April 1. This included NHS staff, hospital patients, and care home residents.
31 March – Monitoring of wastewater for parts of the SARS-CoV-2 virus stopped.

April 2022

2 April – Low-dose COVID-19 vaccines became available for children aged five to 11 in England. A second dose was recommended after 12 weeks.
5 April – Figures showed that the number of school absences in England due to COVID-19 was becoming stable.
7 April – Hospitals in England were under "enormous strain." Some were so busy they had to send ambulances to other hospitals.
19 April – Patients waiting in NHS hospitals, doctor's offices, and emergency rooms in England no longer needed to keep a distance from others.
27 April – A court ruled that the UK government's policies for sending patients from hospitals to care homes at the start of the pandemic were unlawful. This was because they didn't consider the risk of COVID-19 to older and vulnerable people.

May 2022

18 May – England's former deputy chief medical officer, Professor Sir Jonathan Van-Tam, missed his knighthood ceremony because he had COVID-19.
25 May – Figures showed that almost 4,000 people were fined for not wearing face coverings on London transport when it was required.
28 May – A large memorial (20 meters tall) for people who died from coronavirus was burned in a ceremony in Bedworth, Warwickshire. This event was meant to help people heal.

July 2022

15 July – The England women's national football team manager, Sarina Wiegman, tested positive for COVID-19 just before a big game.

August 2022

6 August – Brighton and Hove Pride, a large event, returned for the first time since the pandemic began. It had been cancelled in 2020 and 2021.
9 August – Figures showed that the number of people in England waiting more than two years for routine surgery had dropped significantly.
12 August – The Boomtown Festival opened in Hampshire. It was the first time it had been held since the pandemic, as it was cancelled in 2020 and 2021.
24 August – The UK government announced that most hospital patients and care home residents in England would no longer need COVID-19 tests. However, new people coming into hospitals or care homes would still be tested.

September 2022

5 September – The Autumn 2022 COVID-19 booster vaccine programme began in England. Care home residents and people who could not leave their homes were the first to be offered it.

October 2022

13 October – The latest health figures showed that hospital waiting lists in England reached seven million, the highest ever recorded.
18 October – NHS England warned that up to half of its hospital beds could be filled with patients who had breathing problems. This was due to a "twindemic" of COVID-19 and flu expected over the winter.

November 2022

7 November – Analysis by BBC News showed a 10% increase in five- and six-year-olds in England needing speech therapy. Experts think this is partly due to the COVID-19 lockdowns.

December

30 December – The UK government confirmed that passengers arriving in England from China would need to show a negative COVID-19 test before their flight. This rule would start when China fully reopened its borders on January 8.