Even when Boris Johnson published his Living with COVID plan in February.
According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), nearly one in every 17 people in the UK had coronavirus at the peak of the most recent wave in July, with the case count falling to just 120,000 per day since then.
The Living with Covid scheme did away with the legal requirement for employees to tell their employers.
But the threat from covid is still very real, what's going to work when you're sick is really such a good idea?
Yes, you can go to work even after testing positive for COVID and there is no legal obligation to tell your employer if you are infected.
No, you do not need to be tested for COVID before you go anywhere, including going to work.
Most people in England are no longer advised to take the test and cannot get a free lateral flow test from the NHS unless you are one of a small number of eligible people.
The government has set guidelines for people who have symptoms of a respiratory infection but have not tested for COVID-19.
If you must leave your home, you should wear a face covering and avoid crowded or poorly ventilated places.
If you receive a positive COVID-19 test, you are also advised to stay at home and avoid contact with other people for five days from the day of your test.
However, for 10 days after the day you were tested, you should avoid meeting people who are at risk of serious illness from COVID-19.