LONDON – Britain will lift most of its remaining COVID-19 restrictions on July 19 in what has been dubbed “Freedom Day”, the government stated on Monday despite fears that an increase in coronavirus cases may lead to more deaths.
However with coronavirus cases rising, driven largely by the more transmissible Delta variant, the government postponed the date till July 19 amid criticism from many businesses which want lockdown to end to attempt to recoup their losses.
“With every day that goes by it is clearer to me and all the scientific advisers that we’re very likely to be able on July 19 to say that really is the terminus and we can return to life as it was earlier than COVID as far as possible,” Johnson informed media.
Hancock’s replacement, Sajid Javid, confirmed the decision in parliament, saying he had spent his first day within the job studying the data to see if the next stage of easing restrictions, called step 4, could go ahead any earlier.
“Whilst we decided not to bring forward step 4, we see no cause to go beyond the 19th of July,” he instructed parliament, urging the public to stick to the restrictions for now.
“July 19th remains our target date. The prime minister has called it our terminus date. For me, the 19th of July is not only the top of the line but the beginning of an exciting new journey for our nation.”
