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Boris Johnson 'Set To Delay' Lifting Of Covid Restrictions On 21 June

Boris Johnson 'Set To Delay' Lifting Of Covid Restrictions On 21 June

The delay will allow more people to get vaccinated before restrictions are fully lifted

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

Boris Johnson is set to delay the final lifting of lockdown restrictions on 21 June, according to a new report.

The Prime Minister is considering putting back the unlocking date for up to four weeks following a rise in cases of the Delta variant, the Telegraph reports.

A final decision is set to be made tomorrow (Sunday 13 June) before Johnson makes an announcement the following day.

If the Government does opt for a four week delay, that pushes the date back to 19 July.

PA

A senior Government source told the Telegraph a delay was necessary to allow more younger people to be vaccinated following the rise in cases.

The source told the Telegraph: "A delay would allow for more first doses but also, critically, more second doses and more time for those doses to take effect.

"It would give protection to many, many millions of people who haven't had their second doses yet but may be vulnerable to coronavirus.

"The Prime Minister always said the reopening should be 'cautious but irreversible'. We don't want to do anything that risks going backwards."

The news outlet also reports the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) has warned the Government that a third wave peak could top the first wave, if the planned 21 June date went ahead.

Doctors from the British Medical Association (BMA) have also urged the Government to consider holding off the final lifting until more people have been vaccinated.

PA

BMA council chairman Dr Chaand Nagpaul said: "With only 54.2 percent of the adult population currently fully vaccinated and many younger people not yet eligible, there is a huge risk that prematurely relaxing all restrictions will undo the excellent work of the vaccine programme and lead to a surge of infections.

"It's not just about the number of hospitalisations, but also the risk to the health of large numbers of younger people, who can suffer long-term symptoms affecting their lives and ability to work."

Figures from Public Health England have shown 42,323 cases of the Delta variant - which was first identified in India - have now been confirmed in the UK.

This is an increase of 240 percent from the week before.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: UK News, lockdown, Coronavirus