What Boris Johnson said in his July 19 release announcement Bedford News

The lifting of restrictions in England will take place on July 19 as planned, Boris Johnson has confirmed.

Speaking at a government press conference tonight, the prime minister said “the time has come” to end the current restrictions, despite concerns over the third wave.

The successful rollout of the vaccine so far means we can lift the restrictions next week as planned, he said.

But, Johnson said, it is “absolutely vital that we proceed with caution”.

Some people have expressed concerns that the remaining restrictions will be lifted in one go, as the number of cases increases dramatically due to the Delta variant.

However, the prime minister defended the move, saying the time has come to lift the restrictions.

Johnson has argued that delaying the reopening would mean lifting restrictions as the weather starts to cool, giving the virus a “bigger advantage”.

He also said now would be the best time to lift the restrictions, as out-of-school children would be a “natural firewall”.

He said: “I cannot say it with enough force or emphasis: this pandemic is not over. This disease continues to pose risks to you and your family.

“We cannot just instantly return from Monday July 19 to life as it was before Covid.

“We will stick to our plan to lift legal restrictions and lift social distancing, but we do expect and recommend that people wear face coverings in crowded, enclosed spaces where you come into contact with those you don’t meet.” normally, like on public transport. “

“We know we will see more hospitalizations and more deaths from Covid. “

Although, he said, we are currently in the “middle range” of scientists’ modeling for infection levels and in the “low range” for deaths.

The Prime Minister stressed that although they are not required by law, people should continue to wear face masks in confined spaces and when mingling with other people indoors.

Regional leaders could still force the use of face masks on public transport in parts of the country, such as London or Greater Manchester.

Legal requirements regarding social distancing will be dropped, meaning the rule of six and the rule of 1m + will no longer apply.

There will always be social distancing advice in certain circumstances or situations, including at airports or ports of entry, or when a person is Covid positive or self-isolates.

The government has now updated its working from home guidelines, which means there are no formal requirements that those who can work from home should.

However, Johnson said new guidelines will be released on how employers can get staff back to offices safely over the summer.

He also said that while the guidelines will change from Monday, not all staff are expected to return to their offices that day.

The plan to allow nightclubs to reopen will continue, although many venues will likely require proof of vaccination or a negative test on entry.

Johnson urged nightclubs to use the NHS Covid pass to decide whether or not to let people in.

During today’s press conference, Johnson did not provide many details on the changes to UK travel policy.

He said the current “hard” border policy will remain for the time being, with people returning from Red List countries requesting quarantine.

Johnson also said the testing, tracing and isolation system will remain in place.

The Prime Minister said everyone should “keep thinking of others” and “consider the risks.

He said new guidelines will be released for those who are clinically extremely vulnerable on how best to stay safe after the restrictions are lifted.