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| Covid: Lockdown easing in England delayed to 19 July | Covid: Lockdown easing in England delayed to 19 July |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| PM Boris Johnson: "Now is the time to ease off the accelerator" | |
| The final stage of easing lockdown restrictions in England is to be delayed until 19 July, the PM has said. | The final stage of easing lockdown restrictions in England is to be delayed until 19 July, the PM has said. |
| It means most remaining curbs on social contact will continue beyond 21 June, when they had been due to be lifted. | It means most remaining curbs on social contact will continue beyond 21 June, when they had been due to be lifted. |
| The limit on wedding guest numbers will be removed but venues will still have to adhere to other rules. | The limit on wedding guest numbers will be removed but venues will still have to adhere to other rules. |
| Boris Johnson said there would be a review after two weeks and he was "confident" the delay would not need to be longer than four weeks. | Boris Johnson said there would be a review after two weeks and he was "confident" the delay would not need to be longer than four weeks. |
| "We will monitor the position every day and if, after two weeks, we have concluded that the risk has diminished then we reserve the possibility of proceeding to step four, and a full opening, sooner," he told a Downing Street news conference. | "We will monitor the position every day and if, after two weeks, we have concluded that the risk has diminished then we reserve the possibility of proceeding to step four, and a full opening, sooner," he told a Downing Street news conference. |
| "At a certain stage, we are going to have to learn to live with the virus and to manage it as best we can," the prime minister said. | |
| However, he added that some people might want to continue social distancing beyond 19 July. | |
| What are the rules after 21 June? | |
| 'We will just have to bide our time' | |
| Theatre and music facing 'catastrophic' delay | |
| Scientists advising the government had warned there could be a "significant resurgence" in people needing hospital treatment for Covid-19 if stage four of easing the lockdown went ahead on 21 June. | Scientists advising the government had warned there could be a "significant resurgence" in people needing hospital treatment for Covid-19 if stage four of easing the lockdown went ahead on 21 June. |
| It comes amid rising cases, driven by the more transmissible Delta variant, which was first identified in India. | It comes amid rising cases, driven by the more transmissible Delta variant, which was first identified in India. |
| Mr Johnson said going ahead with stage four on 21 June would mean "a real possibility" of the virus outrunning the vaccines and leading to thousands more deaths which could otherwise have been avoided. | |
| The delay would give the NHS "a few more crucial weeks to get those remaining jabs into the arms of those who need them", he said. | The delay would give the NHS "a few more crucial weeks to get those remaining jabs into the arms of those who need them", he said. |
| He added that while the link between infections and hospital admissions had been "weakened" it had not been "severed". | |
| Although the number of guests at weddings and wakes will no longer be limited to 30, other restrictions on these events will remain. | |
| Venues will have to adhere to social distancing and hosts will have to do a risk assessment. | Venues will have to adhere to social distancing and hosts will have to do a risk assessment. |
| Table service will be required - with six people per table - and no indoor dance floors will be allowed. | Table service will be required - with six people per table - and no indoor dance floors will be allowed. |
| A dance floor outside would be advised against but the legal restrictions would only apply to indoor dancing. | A dance floor outside would be advised against but the legal restrictions would only apply to indoor dancing. |
| Fifteen coronavirus pilot events will continue as planned before 19 July, including some upcoming Euro 2020 games, Wimbledon and arts and music performances. | Fifteen coronavirus pilot events will continue as planned before 19 July, including some upcoming Euro 2020 games, Wimbledon and arts and music performances. |
| The pilots include a mix of indoor, outdoor, seated and unseated events. Attendees will have to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test. | The pilots include a mix of indoor, outdoor, seated and unseated events. Attendees will have to show proof of vaccination or a recent negative test. |
| But other venues and events must continue to operate with capacity limits and nightclubs must remain closed. | But other venues and events must continue to operate with capacity limits and nightclubs must remain closed. |
| Limits on the number of people who can meet will also remain, with groups of up to 30 allowed to meet outdoors and up to six people or two households allowed to meet indoors. | Limits on the number of people who can meet will also remain, with groups of up to 30 allowed to meet outdoors and up to six people or two households allowed to meet indoors. |
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| SOCIAL DISTANCING: How can I meet my friend safely? | |
| FACE MASKS: When do I need to wear one? | |
| Advice to work from home where possible will remain in place. | Advice to work from home where possible will remain in place. |
| However, some restrictions on care homes will be lifted, with residents no-longer required to isolate for 14 days after returning from visits outside. | |
| Exceptions will include high-risk visits such as overnight stays in hospital. | Exceptions will include high-risk visits such as overnight stays in hospital. |
| The extension of restrictions will be put to a Commons vote, which could trigger a sizeable Conservative backbench rebellion, with a debate likely to take place on Wednesday. | |
| Mr Johnson said that by 19 July, two-thirds of adults would have been offered two coronavirus jabs, including all over-50s, the vulnerable and health and care workers, along with over-40s who had received a first dose by mid-May. | Mr Johnson said that by 19 July, two-thirds of adults would have been offered two coronavirus jabs, including all over-50s, the vulnerable and health and care workers, along with over-40s who had received a first dose by mid-May. |
| "To do this we will now accelerate the second jabs for those over 40, just as we did for the vulnerable groups, so they get the maximum protection as fast as possible," he added. | "To do this we will now accelerate the second jabs for those over 40, just as we did for the vulnerable groups, so they get the maximum protection as fast as possible," he added. |
| The gap between the first and second dose for over-40s in England will be reduced from 12 to eight weeks. | The gap between the first and second dose for over-40s in England will be reduced from 12 to eight weeks. |
| And the target to offer all adults a first dose will be brought forward to 19 July. | And the target to offer all adults a first dose will be brought forward to 19 July. |
| Scientists have advised the government that a four-week delay to easing restrictions will reduce the peak in hospital admissions by between a third and a half. | |
| The size of a future surge in infections is uncertain because questions remain about the Delta variant, vaccines and people's behaviour once rules are relaxed. | |
| The Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) said a third wave could range from "considerably smaller than January 2021 to considerably higher". | |
| But it anticipated even a short delay would lead to a "significant drop" in the number of Covid patients in hospital as more people are vaccinated and the school holidays get closer. | |
| The rise in cases in the UK is being driven by the Delta variant, which is believed to be around 60% more infectious than the previous dominant variant and twice as likely to result in hospital admissions. | |
| On Monday, the UK recorded 7,742 new cases of Covid-19 and three deaths within 28 days of a positive test. | |
| The seven-day average for cases in the UK is up 46% compared with the seven days before. | |
| Plans for easing coronavirus restrictions differ between each of the four UK nations. | Plans for easing coronavirus restrictions differ between each of the four UK nations. |
| All areas of Scotland are due to move to Level Zero Covid restrictions on 28 June - meaning bigger groups can gather in cafes, pubs and restaurants, although they will still have to observe social distancing. | All areas of Scotland are due to move to Level Zero Covid restrictions on 28 June - meaning bigger groups can gather in cafes, pubs and restaurants, although they will still have to observe social distancing. |
| Limits on indoor gatherings in Northern Ireland are scheduled to be relaxed on 21 June and the rules in Wales will be reviewed on 25 June. | |
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