ALL SYSTEMS BO
Boris Johnson to give press conference TODAY to announce the Covid restrictions lifted on July 19
BORIS Johnson will give a press conference this evening to announce which Covid restrictions will be lifted from July 19.
The Prime Minister will make a speech, expected to be at 5pm, as the nation prepares for full unlocking on so-called Freedom Day.
🔵 Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest updates
3
Mr Johnson will address the nation as Brits prepare to ditch enforced social distancing, masks, and isolation - aspects that have become a way of life in the last 16 months.
It comes after yesterday's Covid cases rose by 161 per cent in a fortnight - while the death toll remained low with 15 more reported fatalities.
Thanks to Britain's vaccine rollout, surging cases have not resulted in high death tolls - with Freedom Day just a matter of weeks away.
The PM said: "Thanks to the successful rollout of our vaccination programme, we are progressing cautiously through our roadmap.
"Today we will set out how we can restore people's freedoms when we reach step 4.
"But I must stress that the pandemic is not over and that cases will continue to rise over the coming weeks.
"As we begin to learn to live with the virus, we must all continue to carefully manage the risks from Covid and exercise judgement when going about our lives."
Ahead of tonight's press conference here are the restrictions the PM is set to lift on July 19.
NO MASKS
Forced mask wearing will be ditched when Covid restrictions are finally relaxed.
Boris Johnson plans to tear up laws which force people to cover their faces on buses and trains, and in shops and other indoor venues.
The Prime Minister wants to make it a personal choice rather than a legal requirement enforced with fines of up to £6,400.
A source said: “It’s all part of a shift from legal enforcement to common sense.
“There will be some official guidance that in certain settings, like a crowded train, it might make sense to wear a mask.
“But it will no longer be compulsory. People will be able to decide for themselves whether or not to cover their face.”
One minister told The Sun on Sunday: “It’s all about learning to live with Covid. This virus is going to be around for some time and with so many of us now vaccinated, we’re going to have to make up our own minds on when to cover up."
3
Mask laws mean it is an offence for people to board a train, bus, plane or taxi without wearing one, unless medically exempt.
They are also a legal requirement in shops, supermarkets, theatres, libraries, churches, youth and social clubs, hotels and most other indoor settings.
A first offence carries a fine of £200, reduced to £100 if paid within 14 days.
The penalty doubles for repeat offences up to a maximum of £6,400.
Mr Johnson will announce he will scrap the law as part of the fourth and final step of the plan back to a normal life, The Sun on Sunday has been told.
But England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty — along with other health advisers — wants the use of masks to continue after July 19.
BUBBLES BURST?
But plans for double jabbed Brits to no longer have to isolate after coming into contact with a Covid victim and mass-testing to replace bubbles that sees thousands of school kids sent home every week will NOT be announced today.
A final decision on replacing both of those measures could come within days subject to Cabinet sign off.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has previously said he wanted the bubble system dropped "as quickly as possible".
A minister told the Mail: "It is not right to see people rubbing shoulder-to-shoulder in football stadiums while hundreds of thousands of children have to self-isolate even when testing negative for Covid."
Another source said: "I am beside myself when see I pictures of Ascot, Wimbledon, Wembley, while you can’t go and stand at your child’s sports day."
SOCIAL DISTANCING
Social distancing will no longer be required as part of unlocking on July 19, reports have suggested.
According to The Sunday Times, mask wearing will become voluntary in all settings and the one metre-plus rule in hospitality venues will end, meaning a return to drinking at the bar without the requirement for table service.
Mass events, including festivals, will also be allowed under the proposals for the final stage of the road map out of lockdown, the paper reported.
The Government also expects to receive the results of the taskforce reviews into the use of so-called vaccine passports and the future of social distancing to be made available this week, the Sunday Express reported.
FLY AWAY
Double-jabbed Brits returning from amber list countries reportedly won't have to quarantine after July 19.
But The Sun understands travel rules for the fully vaccinated are set to be updated later in the week
Downing Street sources said the decision wasn't confirmed yet as some details needed to be ironed out - including in relation to unvaccinated kids, the Mail on Sunday reported.
The sources also reportedly said that fully-vaccinated travellers would still have to take one Covid test before they left and another two when they got back.
Right now Brits who go overseas to amber list countries have to stay inside for 10 days on their return.
3
They also need to take a pre-arrival Covid test, as well as tests on day two and day eight of quarantine.
However, Brits can pay for a fourth test as part of the Test to Release scheme, meaning they can leave the self-isolation earlier.
Popular travel hotspots including Spain, Portugal and Greece are on the amber list, making summer holidays unrealistic for many.
Sources said plans involving the use of e-gates at airports to limit queues and make travel easier for fully-vaccinated holidaymakers were being developed "as quickly as possible", according to the Mail.
There may reportedly be time-consuming paper checks when travellers return before the e-gates are rolled out.
CHECK OUT
The PM is set to scrap the QR code sign-in requirement for pubs and restaurants to curb the number of Brits being forced to isolate through the NHS app.
Hospitality bosses have called for changes to the Test and Trace app amid complaints it is leading to staff shortages and could end up putting punters off visiting pubs and restaurants.
Rob Pitcher, chief executive of Revolution Bars Group, which runs 66 bars across the UK, said the app was "casting the net quite wide" in terms of who it pings as a close contact of a positive case.
And Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association, said the app was "becoming a huge issue for our pubs".
NO NEED TO ISOLATE
Among the Freedom Day plans expected to be signed off by the Cabinet include those who have received both doses of a Covid jab not being required to self-isolate when they come into contact with someone who tests positive for the virus.
Tests will still be available for those who wish to have one.
Currently, anyone alerted by Test and Trace that they have been near someone who has tested positive must — by law — isolate at home.
But after a successful pilot scheme running since April, ministers are set to replace that rule for the fully vaccinated with 20-minute lateral flow tests taken each day for the same amount of time.
If you are negative, you would be free to leave the house that day — in a major boost for workplaces.
Business leaders have called for reforms to the system, including the NHS Covid-19 App part of the NHS Test and Trace system which pings Brits who've come into contact with anyone carrying the virus.
Most read in News
Contacts of Covid cases must self-isolate for 10 days.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Bosses have said the self-isolation rule is causing chaos with firms left short-staffed.
Last week, around 400,000 people were told to self-isolate by Test and Trace staff or the NHS Covid-19 App.
Topics