Boris Johnson is expected to urge the public to remain vigilant and exercise caution as he announces that England will move to step four of the roll back of Covid regulations in a press conference this afternoon.
He will praise the efforts of the country for the progress made so far while warning that the pandemic is not over and that caution will be key in the coming weeks.
Step Four on July 19th will see almost all mandatory regulations disappear with an end to social distancing regulations and enforced wearing of masks.
The latest data will be presented, with current modelling suggesting that Covid cases will continue to rise as restrictions are eased. Hospitalisations, serious illness and deaths will also continue, albeit at a much lower level than before the vaccination programme.
Analysis from Public Health England (PHE) and the University of Cambridge suggests that vaccines have so far prevented an estimated 8.5 million infections and 30,000 deaths in England alone.
“We are tantalisingly close to the final milestone in our roadmap out of lockdown, but the plan to restore our freedoms must come with a warning.” says Johnson adding:
“While the phenomenal vaccine rollout has offered every adult some protection against the virus, and the crucial link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths is weakened, the global pandemic is not over yet.”
“Cases will rise as we unlock, so as we confirm our plans today, our message will be clear. Caution is absolutely vital, and we must all take responsibility so we don’t undo our progress, ensuring we continue to protect our NHS.”
Yesterday, Nadhim Zahawi told The Andrew Marr Show :
“The guidelines will be very clear on things like mask-wearing, there’s an expectation on people to wear masks indoors, in crowded places, on public transport. There’s both a personal responsibility and a corporate responsibility.”
