By Tony O’Riley-
New Health Secretary Sajid Javid has made it clear that the final stages of lockdown will come to an end on July 19 will be the start of a new journey, adding that the public will have to learn to live with the virus.
He told Mps: “We know we cannot eliminate it. We have to learn to live with it.
As expected, he confirmed that remaining rules will not end on July 5. The Government had been considering this date for “step 4” of the roadmap for ending the lockdown, which involves scrapping almost all existing rules.
Mr Javid, who has replaced former Health Secretary Matt Hancock, following his resignation, sounded more inspirational than Hancock ever did, and he spoke of his target date to ending lockdowns.
Referring to July 19 as “the end of the line” he said he saw “no reason to go beyond the 19th of July”.
His assurance was echoed by prime minister, Boris Johnson, who said the British public was “very likely” to be able to return to “pretty much life before Covid” on 19. The prime minister is know for making dramatic U turns
It was “sensible to stick to our plan” of having a “cautious but irreversible approach” to lifting the remaining coronavirus restrictions, the prime minister added.
Javid’s words will thrill a lot of those fed up with the never ending restrictions placed on our freedoms, but the stigma of deception associated with politicians will unfortunately follow him until he proves himself. He yet has to deal with scientists from the Sage group, and prophets of doom, whom will no doubt see a reason for a lockdown once the winter season approaches. There will always be questions as to how Javid will respond in a situation where a strain of the virus is spreading and causing worrying rates of fatalities.
Hancock’s hypocrisy and the lies Dominic Cummings spoke about, has deeply damaged the credibility of the government, after other breaches by senior political figures indicated that coronavirus rules has been one rule for the government, and another rule for the public.
Remaining restrictions include a ban on more than six people from different households, or more than two households, meeting indoors. There is also a ban on more than 30 people attending an event outdoors.
Mr Javid told MPs: “I spent my first day as Health Secretary just yesterday looking at the data and testing it to the limit.
“While we decided not to bring forward step 4, we see no reason to go beyond the 19th of July. Because in truth, no date we choose comes with zero risk for Covid.
“We know we cannot eliminate it. We have to learn to live with it.
“We also know businesses want certainty So we want every step to be irreversible. And make no mistake, the restrictions on our freedoms, they must come to an end.
“We owe it to the British people … not to wait a moment longer than we need to .
“So, with the numbers heading in the right direction … July 19 remains our target date. The Prime Minister has called it our “terminus date”.
“For me, 19 July is not only the end of the line but the start of an exciting new journey for our country.”
He said the Government aimed to ensure that two-thirds of all adults in the country will have had two vaccine doses by July 19.
And he said more than half of adults under 30 have already been vaccinated.
Data showed a single dose of vaccine was less effective against the “delta” variant of coronavirus than against previous variants, but two doses were just as effective with the new variant as with older ones, he said.
A large section of the British public have been expecting another lockdown either in the autumn or the winter, and scientific lockdown lovers have already been warning of the likelihood of further lockdowns in the winter.