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| Covid-19: Government 'open' to delaying 21 June England lockdown end date | Covid-19: Government 'open' to delaying 21 June England lockdown end date |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The government is "absolutely open" to delaying the final lifting of England's lockdown on 21 June if necessary, the health secretary has said. | The government is "absolutely open" to delaying the final lifting of England's lockdown on 21 June if necessary, the health secretary has said. |
| Matt Hancock said 21 June was a "not before" date to end restrictions under the government's roadmap, and that No 10 "would look at the data". | Matt Hancock said 21 June was a "not before" date to end restrictions under the government's roadmap, and that No 10 "would look at the data". |
| He also said he "wouldn't rule out" the continued wearing of face masks and working from home measures. | He also said he "wouldn't rule out" the continued wearing of face masks and working from home measures. |
| The end of lockdown would see all legal limits on social contact lifted. | The end of lockdown would see all legal limits on social contact lifted. |
| Nightclubs would also reopen, and restrictions on performances, weddings and other life events would also be removed. | Nightclubs would also reopen, and restrictions on performances, weddings and other life events would also be removed. |
| But concerns about the spread of the variant first seen in India, now known as Delta, have led some scientists to call for a delay. | But concerns about the spread of the variant first seen in India, now known as Delta, have led some scientists to call for a delay. |
| Another 5,765 infections were recorded in the UK on Saturday, and another 13 deaths were recorded within 28 days of a positive test. | Another 5,765 infections were recorded in the UK on Saturday, and another 13 deaths were recorded within 28 days of a positive test. |
| The recent surge in cases is being partly driven by the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant. | The recent surge in cases is being partly driven by the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant. |
| Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr show, the health secretary said the government would "look at the data for another week then make a judgement" on if the final lifting of restrictions could go ahead on 21 June. | Speaking to the BBC's Andrew Marr show, the health secretary said the government would "look at the data for another week then make a judgement" on if the final lifting of restrictions could go ahead on 21 June. |
| When asked if the government would delay the unlocking, he said they were "absolutely open to doing that if that's what needs to happen" and that the government's "roadmap was set up to take these changes into account". | When asked if the government would delay the unlocking, he said they were "absolutely open to doing that if that's what needs to happen" and that the government's "roadmap was set up to take these changes into account". |
| Asked whether some measures, such as the wearing of face coverings and working from home, might need to remain in place, he said: "I wouldn't rule that out. | Asked whether some measures, such as the wearing of face coverings and working from home, might need to remain in place, he said: "I wouldn't rule that out. |
| "The way we are looking at this is step four [of the roadmap] involves the removing of the remaining social restrictions like the rule of six and some of the business closures which are still there." | "The way we are looking at this is step four [of the roadmap] involves the removing of the remaining social restrictions like the rule of six and some of the business closures which are still there." |
| Mr Hancock also referred to a government review into social distancing measures - including face coverings and working from home guidance - which still needs to report. | Mr Hancock also referred to a government review into social distancing measures - including face coverings and working from home guidance - which still needs to report. |
| Asked if there should be vaccination passports in the UK - for example in hospitality - he said there were "downsides" to introducing them, "especially on a mandatory basis" and that it would be subject to a review. | Asked if there should be vaccination passports in the UK - for example in hospitality - he said there were "downsides" to introducing them, "especially on a mandatory basis" and that it would be subject to a review. |
| Pupils urged to take Covid tests after half-term | Pupils urged to take Covid tests after half-term |
| PM to push for world vaccination by end of 2022 | PM to push for world vaccination by end of 2022 |
| No big rise in variant hospital numbers - NHS boss | No big rise in variant hospital numbers - NHS boss |
| Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the lifting restrictions on 21 June was "looking very difficult" based on rising infection rates in the north-west of England, particularly among young people. | Labour's shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the lifting restrictions on 21 June was "looking very difficult" based on rising infection rates in the north-west of England, particularly among young people. |
| She told Andrew Marr that if the country is going to unlock on 21 June, the vaccine has to be rolled out "much more quickly". | She told Andrew Marr that if the country is going to unlock on 21 June, the vaccine has to be rolled out "much more quickly". |
| The government needed to listen to frontline public health directors who have been calling for vaccines to be offered to people aged 18 and over and secondary school pupils, she said. | The government needed to listen to frontline public health directors who have been calling for vaccines to be offered to people aged 18 and over and secondary school pupils, she said. |
| Ms Nandy also criticised the government's traffic light system for foreign travel, saying that the amber category should be "scrapped". | Ms Nandy also criticised the government's traffic light system for foreign travel, saying that the amber category should be "scrapped". |
| "We think it's pointless. We think it's confusing and that confusion is actually dangerous at the moment - it risks unravelling all of the progress that we've made." | "We think it's pointless. We think it's confusing and that confusion is actually dangerous at the moment - it risks unravelling all of the progress that we've made." |
| Mr Hancock also said the latest data suggested the Delta variant was 40% more transmissible than the strain discovered in Kent, now known as Alpha, which he said made the coronavirus situation in the UK "more challenging". | Mr Hancock also said the latest data suggested the Delta variant was 40% more transmissible than the strain discovered in Kent, now known as Alpha, which he said made the coronavirus situation in the UK "more challenging". |
| The government's scientific advisory group for emergencies (Sage) had previously said there was a "realistic possibility" the variant could spread 50% faster. | The government's scientific advisory group for emergencies (Sage) had previously said there was a "realistic possibility" the variant could spread 50% faster. |
| The Sage documents estimated that if the variant were to be 40-50% more transmissible it "would lead to a substantial resurgence of hospitalisations" and put pressure on the NHS. | The Sage documents estimated that if the variant were to be 40-50% more transmissible it "would lead to a substantial resurgence of hospitalisations" and put pressure on the NHS. |
| Mr Hancock said that while infections have "risen a little", the "good news" was that the number of people admitted to hospital with the Delta variant was "broadly flat", with the majority appearing to be those who have not had a coronavirus vaccine and "only a very small minority" who have had both doses of a vaccine. | Mr Hancock said that while infections have "risen a little", the "good news" was that the number of people admitted to hospital with the Delta variant was "broadly flat", with the majority appearing to be those who have not had a coronavirus vaccine and "only a very small minority" who have had both doses of a vaccine. |
| He added that the vaccine was "working" and that the link between infection and hospitalisation had been "severed but not broken" but the new variant's increased transmissibility had made "that calculation harder". | He added that the vaccine was "working" and that the link between infection and hospitalisation had been "severed but not broken" but the new variant's increased transmissibility had made "that calculation harder". |
| On Saturday, Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said the number of people in hospital with the Delta variant was rising but not "very significantly". | On Saturday, Chris Hopson, the chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents hospital trusts, said the number of people in hospital with the Delta variant was rising but not "very significantly". |
| But he warned that the backlog of care for non-Covid illnesses caused by the lockdown means that even a small rise in the number of Covid patients could see hospitals become overstretched. | But he warned that the backlog of care for non-Covid illnesses caused by the lockdown means that even a small rise in the number of Covid patients could see hospitals become overstretched. |
| The health secretary said people under the age of 30 in England will be invited to have a coronavirus vaccine this week as part of the next stage of the rollout, bringing the government "a step closer" to its target of offering all adults a vaccine by the end of July. | The health secretary said people under the age of 30 in England will be invited to have a coronavirus vaccine this week as part of the next stage of the rollout, bringing the government "a step closer" to its target of offering all adults a vaccine by the end of July. |
| He added that he expected "around three-fifths" of all adults to have been fully-vaccinated by 21 June, with 52% currently double-jabbed. | He added that he expected "around three-fifths" of all adults to have been fully-vaccinated by 21 June, with 52% currently double-jabbed. |
| Asked if he thought the UK should be vaccinating children, Mr Hancock did not commit to saying he believed it should happen, stressing that the government would follow the "clinical advice". | |
| Reducing onward transmission of the virus to adults and protecting education were advantages of vaccinating children, he said. | |
| This week, the UK's medicines watchdog approved the use of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in children aged 12 to 15. | |
| The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will advise the government on whether this age group should be vaccinated as part of the UK rollout. | |
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