“If we can’t open in the next few weeks… then when can we?” argued the UK prime minister, Boris Johnson, who is set on removing most of the UK’s coronavirus restrictions by 19 July, CNN reports.
Jonhson encourages citizens to take personal responsibility upon themselves. Around 63% of the UK’s adult population have received the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, with the government believing that its vaccination campaign has weakened the link between hospitalisation and death.
Travellers arriving in England may end quarantine after five days if they test negative for COVID-19.
Johnson commented that the pandemic is far from over, and that cases have been rising rapidly, and by the time covid restrictions are lifted, there could be as much as 50 000 cases per day and that the country “must reconcile ourselves sadly to more deaths from Covid.”
This decision comes off of the back of the nation’s vaccination programme, which the government believes allows England to ease restrictions, rather than tighten them.
Johnson’s announcement means that much of the mandatory laws such as facemasks, social distancing and working from home will no longer be obligatory. Bans on clubs and social gatherings will also be lifted, with no limit to the total amount of attendees.
Stephen Griffin, professor in the school of Medicine at the University of Leeds said in a statement to the UK’s Science Media Centre that vaccines could provide a clear route out of the pandemic. He added, however, that impatience with restrictions would greatly amplify the number of infections caused by the Delta variant.
This announcement comes two weeks before government aims to lift the current lockdown restrictions, a day that has been dubbed “Freedom Day” in the English press. The final decision on lifting all the restrictions will be made on July 12.
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