COVID-19: England’s lockdown easing delayed until July 19 as Delta variant cases rise | UK News

Boris Johnson has announced a four-week delay in lifting lockdown restrictions in England until July 19 amid growing cases of the Delta variant.

The prime minister said the postponement of the fourth stage of the government’s roadmap, which was due to take place on June 21, will allow more people to receive their second jabs before restrictions are further eased.

By July 19, there will be a “very considerable wall of immunity around the entire population,” he added.

The proposed extension will be reviewed to see if action can be taken two weeks earlier on Monday, July 5.

MPs will have their say over the delay in the vote in the House of Commons, the Prime Minister’s spokesman said.

The government estimates that the four-week delay could save thousands of lives.

The interval between vaccine doses has also been shortened for people over 40 – from 12 weeks to eight weeks – with all in that age group offered a second dose by the week of July 19. .

This means that two-thirds of adults will have received both doses by that date. All over 18s will have been invited for their first jab by July 19th.

Live updates as Boris Johnson delays easing lockdown

Speaking at a press conference in Downing Street, the Prime Minister said it made “sense” to postpone the end of all legal limits on social contact until July 19 and was “confident” that ‘no further delay would be necessary.

“We can just continue with the whole of Stage 4 on June 21, although there is a real possibility that the virus will overtake vaccines and thousands more deaths will ensue, which could have been avoided otherwise. .

“Or we can give the NHS a few more crucial weeks to put the remaining blows in the arms of those in need,” Mr Johnson said.