Lord Frost has described England as the “freest country in the world” as he hailed the lack of Covid-19 restrictions, as almost 45,000 positive cases were recorded in the UK on Monday.
Speaking at the Guildhall in London, he lauded the lack of coronavirus measures amid the ramping up of restrictions for unvaccinated people elsewhere in Europe.
Lord Frost said: “I am very happy that free Britain, or at least merry England, is probably now the freest country in the world as regards covid restrictions.
“No mask rules, no vaccine passports. Long may it remain so.”
It comes as the UK recorded a further 44,917 coronavirus cases on Monday, marking the fifth consecutive day that total positive tests have been over 40,000.
The new figures bring the seven-day total to 292,417 cases, up 8.4 per cent on the week before.
The number of deaths within 28 days of a positive test has dropped by 5.2 per cent compared with last week, with the UK recording 1,027 over the week.
Meanwhile, the seven-day total for deaths with Covid-19 on the death certificate is 1,194.
Another 880 people were admitted to hospital on Monday and 6,097 were admitted over the past week, again marking a small improvement on the previous seven days.
It comes after the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it is “very worried” about the spread of coronavirus in Europe.
Dr Hans Kluge, regional director of the WHO, warned half a million more people may die due to the virus by March if countries continue “business as usual”.
“Covid 19 has become once again the number one cause of mortality in our region,” he told the BBC.
His comments coincide with Professor John Edmunds, of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and member of Sage, saying Europe’s coronavirus wave should act as “a warning” to the UK as he urged those yet to be fully vaccinated to get the jab.
