The UK prime minister Boris Johnson announced Monday that the country will continue to live under the strict health rules for at least four weeks. It is too early to lift the COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, the top official said.
The British health authorities have concerned that the new strain, a Delta variant of the coronavirus, is able to worse the situation. To avoid the increasing of covid-19 numbers, the much-anticipated full lifting of all coronavirus lockdown restrictions in England on June 21 will be delayed by four weeks to July 19.
The rising cases of the Delta strain made PM Johnson say at a press conference that he wanted a progress to be “cautious but irreversible.” He added as well that slowing to the speed of the UK’s vaccination program could jeopardize the society.
Now, when the UK had one of the most open economies and societies in Europe but that this has “inevitably been accompanied by more infection and more hospitalisation.”
“Now is the time to ease off the accelerator,” PM added.
The extra four weeks will give the health service more time to double-jab the population.
The UK is accelerating inoculation programme
The Prime minister also announced an acceleration of the UK inoculation campaign. People over 40 now having to wait just eight weeks for their second jab rather than 12 weeks, and 23 and 24-year-olds will be offered jabs from tomorrow.
There will also be more pilot schemes for mass events, including the Euro 2020 football tournament, according to the Andalou Agency.
While the four-week delay will face a vote in parliament, PM said England could not eliminate COVID-19 and must learn to live with it.
