Boris Johnson: England still on track to shed Covid restrictions on 21 June
Boris Johnson has today maintained England is on track to further ease Covid-19 restrictions on 21 June, despite recent warnings from several government scientific advisers.
However, the Prime Minister also warned it was too early to make a call as it was not clear if the country’s vaccination rollout was thorough enough to protect people against a new Covid-19 surge.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said today that a decision would be made “in the next 10-14 days”, but avoided answering whether face masks and some form of social distancing could remain in place if restrictions are eased.
Speaking to journalists today, Johnson said: “I can see nothing in the data at the moment that means we can’t go ahead with step four and all the opening on 21 June, but we’ve got to be so cautious, because there’s no question the ONS data of infection rates are showing an increase.
“We always knew that was going to happen, let’s not forget we said the unlocking steps we’ve taken would lead to increases in infection.
“What we need to work out is to what extent the vaccination has protected enough of us, particularly the elderly and the vulnerable, against a new surge.
“There I’m afraid the data is just still ambiguous so everyday we’re having long sessions, we’re interrogating all the data, looking at all the various models. The best the scientists can say at the moment in their guidance to us is we just need to give it a little bit longer.”
The renewed optimism strengthen pound sterling, which reversed its day’s losses against the dollar to be trading up 0.1 per cent to $1.416
Johnson’s roadmap set 21 June as the target date to lift most if not all restrictions, with a Michael Gove-led social distancing review helping to determine if any Covid restrictions would remain.
There is uncertainty over whether the government will push ahead with its plan to ease restrictions as Covid cases and hospitalisations have risen by more than 20 per cent over the past week.
This is being blamed on a combination of the more transmissible Indian variant, which came into the UK before India was put on a travel red list, and as a result of opening indoor hospitality and entertainment venues last month.
Several government scientific advisers have come out to call for a delay to the roadmap, including professor Adam Finn – a member of the government’s Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI).
He told LBC yesterday that “I fear it may be a bad decision” to ease restrictions on 21 June.
However, yesterday’s toll of 0 Covid-19 deaths has emboldened some Tory backbenchers to say there is no need for a delay.
Speaking at an Oxford University event today, Matt Hancock said: “We know the vaccines work, the question is the degree to which they work… there is nothing in the data at this moment that means we are off track, but we are vigilant and we look at it all the time.”
Education secretary Gavin Williamson told LBC this morning that yesterday’s zero deaths figure was “promising”.
“The vaccines are having an impact in terms of actually reducing transmission, reducing the number of people in hospital and it is these factors that are going to guide the decision,” he said.
“But we can’t be complacent, we continue to be careful and we’ve got to make sure we continue to get vaccinated.”
Almost 75 per cent of British adults have now received one jab, while almost 49 per cent have received both jabs.
Data from Indian variant hotspots in England suggest that the strain is more resistant to just one dose of the Covid vaccine, but that two doses provides protection.
The government is currently speeding up the rollout of second doses for over-50s.
Health secretary Matt Hancock today said the UK’s successful rollout was “no accident” and that it was “a project that everybody is part of”.