Professor Chris Whitty and Boris Johnson have hinted at the possibility of a winter lockdown despite pledges to tear up UK coronavirus regulations at the next stage of the roadmap.
The Prime Minister announced that all legal lockdown restrictions would end, including the wearing of masks, social distancing and nightclub closures in Stage 4 of the government’s plan to ease England’s lockdown.
The so-called “freedom day” is expected on July 19, with the decision to go ahead or not made a week earlier.
Despite the positive news regarding the end of the lockdown, Mr Johnson insisted that the coronavirus pandemic is “far from over”.
He said at the Downing Street press conference: ‘We are seeing an increase in hospital admissions and unfortunately we have to come to terms with more deaths from Covid.
“In these circumstances, we need to make a prudent and balanced decision. And there’s only one reason we can consider moving to step four under circumstances where we would normally be locked in more, and that’s because of the continued effectiveness of the vaccine rollout. ”
Although the lockdown is expected to end in England on July 19, Mr Johnson has warned that there is a possibility that the daily number of coronavirus cases is 50,000 every day on that date.
Professor Chris Whitty has warned that winter “could be very difficult” for the NHS.
England’s chief medical officer told the Downing Street press conference: ‘Winter is inevitably going to be tricky and this winter the NHS is likely to have both Covid and some resurgence of others. respiratory viruses that were removed by the degree of lock last time.
“So I think we should be realistic and this coming winter could be very difficult for the NHS.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned there were no guarantees in the face of Labor questions in the Commons on Monday.
He said: “There is no absolutely risk-free way to move forward, but we have to start getting things back to normal and learning to live with Covid.”
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Source: www.times-series.co.uk
This notice was published: 2021-07-06 15:35:29