By Ben Kerrigan-
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will set out plans for the final step of easing COVID-19 lockdown in England on Monday, including guidance on social distancing, face coverings and working from home.
After almost 18 months of imposing the most draconian restrictions in Britain’s peacetime history to battle the novel coronavirus, Johnson is preparing to lift most restrictions in England on July 19 with a final decision due on July 12.
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Although data suggests that cases will continue to rise as restrictions are eased, the link to hospitalizations and deaths have been drastically reduced by the vaccination programme.
Boris Johnson will today announce that the British public will have to learn to live with Covid-19 as they do already with flu, in consistent with the stance of new secretary Sajid Javid. Although cases of the virus are expected to continue to rise, hospitalizations are expected to drop due to the rise in vaccination uptake. Cases of COVID-19 have risen in recent weeks, driven by the now-dominant Delta variant, and the final step of lockdown easing was delayed by four weeks to enable more people to be vaccinated.
An 86% of adults receiving a first dose and 64% receiving two doses as of Sunday, government data shows.
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Britain is lifting restrictions as countries like Australia, which have much lower case numbers but a slower vaccine rollout, as seeing more restrictions imposed.
Johnson credited the success of the vaccination programme with helping England progress through the roadmap out of lockdown.
“But I must stress that the pandemic is not over and that cases will continue to rise over the coming weeks,” Johnson said in a statement released by his office
“As we begin to learn to live with this virus, we must all continue to carefully manage the risks from COVID and exercise judgement when going about our lives.”
Data from Public Health England show that vaccines are highly effective in preventing severe illness and hospitalization from Delta.
Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said on Sunday face masks would no longer be mandatory after the final step in lockdown easing. read more
“We’re going to be shifting much more to an approach which is where there is guidance, but you take personal responsibility… about what is the right thing to do to protect yourself and others,” junior health minister Helen Whately told Sky News on Monday.
However, praising the successful vaccine rollout, he said he would “set out how we can restore people’s freedoms”, adding: “As we begin to learn to live with this virus, we must all continue to carefully manage the risks from Covid and exercise judgement when going about our lives.”
Downing Street said step four would go ahead in two weeks’ time only if the government’s “four tests” for easing curbs had been met.
The verdict on those tests – on the jab rollout, vaccine effectiveness, hospital admissions, and new virus variants – would only be confirmed on 12 July following a review of the latest data, No 10 said.
The findings of reviews on the use of Covid certification – or vaccine passports – and on social-distancing measures are also due to be announced by Mr Johnson.
It is understood the restriction banning pub-goers from ordering a drink directly at the bar will be dropped
Plans to end the imposition of mask wearing drew criticism from the union representing workers in the transport industry.
The union represents workers in the transport industry, particularly bus drivers, and in a statement its national officer for passenger transport, Bobby Morton, said:
To end the requirement to wear masks on public transport would be an act of gross negligence by the government.
Rates of infection are continuing to increase and not only does mask wearing reduce transmissions it helps provide reassurance to drivers and to passengers who are nervous about using public transport.
The idea of personal responsibility and hoping that people will wear masks is absolutely ridiculous. Members are already reporting there is an increase in passengers ignoring the rules on mask wearing.
Until rates of Covid-19 are fully under control, throughout the whole of the UK, the rules on mask wearing on public transport should remain in place”.
However, praising the successful vaccine rollout, Boris Johnson said he would “set out how we can restore people’s freedoms”, adding: “As we begin to learn to live with this virus, we must all continue to carefully manage the risks from Covid and exercise judgement when going about our lives.”
Downing Street said step four would go ahead in two weeks’ time only if the government’s “four tests” for easing curbs had been met.
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