Boris Johnson lifts COVID-19 restrictions, says UK must learn to live with virus
Despite a surge in coronavirus cases, United Kingdom Prime Minister Boris Johnson signaled that he planned on lifting COVID-19 restrictions, including social distancing and mask mandates, later this month.
Instead of government action, Johnson insisted that people will need to take “personal responsibility” as the country lifts its strict lockdown measures. Restrictions are expected to be lifted on July 19 with a final decision coming a week prior.
Despite the probable end to many restrictions, masks will still be encouraged in certain situations such as on public transportation, according to The Associated Press.
The lifting of lockdown orders will allow nightclubs to open for the first time since the pandemic, and pubs will be allowed to serve drinks. Customers to any dining establishment will also no longer have to scan a QR code before entering.
The reopening will also allow for employers to bring their employees back should they choose to do so.
Since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, Britain has recorded over 128,000 coronavirus deaths, second in all of Europe behind Russia.
Currently, as the delta variant becomes the more dominant variant worldwide, Britain has seen a surge in cases. Though the country rolled out a widely successful vaccination effort, cases indicate otherwise with 25,000 new cases per day being recorded in the last week. Deaths, however, have stabilized with fewer than 20 a day.
Over 85% of U.K. adults have received at least one dose of the shot and 64% of adults are fully vaccinated. Current plans indicate that everyone 18 years of age and older will be able to get their shot by the middle of September.
“I want to stress from the outset that this pandemic is far from over,” Johnson said Monday, while predicting a doubling of cases by July 19. “We must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from COVID.”
He added that, “if we can’t reopen our society in the next few weeks, when we will be helped by the arrival of summer and by the school holidays, then we must ask ourselves ‘when will we be able to return to normal?’
Johnson did also say that he would continue to take precautions himself, starting with “obviously wear a mask in crowded places... simply as a matter of personal courtesy.”
The lifting of lockdown measures was previously extended last month to allow more time for people to get vaccinated and for hospitals to stabilize as the delta variant became more prevalent.
With News Wire Services
