By All restrictions to end in England next week.
Boris Johnson starts the Downing Street conference by thanking Gareth Southgate and the England squad for lifting spirits and bringing joy to the country.
He says “shame on you” to those who have been directing racist abuse at players.
Boris Johnson then confirmed final lockdown restrictions will end in England on 19 July.
“We cannot simply revert instantly to life as it was before COVID” the Prime Minister stated.
Boris repeats his mantra that it is better to open up now than in winter and while infections are in the middle range of scientists’ predictions and deaths are lower.
He also adds how the timing fits in well with children breaking up from schools.
The Prime Minister says it is “vital to proceed with caution”.
“I cannot say this powerfully or emphatically enough… this pandemic is not over,” he adds.
Boris says the government is keeping all the data “under constant review” and will likely do this into next year.
Government Coronavirus Data
The number of people in hospital with COVID-19 in the UK
There was more emphasis from the Prime Minister on the risks that still exist rather than the freedoms we can look forward to next Monday.
Chief Medical Officer,Chris Whitty stated: “there is an expectation the number of deaths will go up in the current wave”.
The chief medical officer says the current wave is going at a similar rate to the autumn wave last year, but hospital admissions are rising at a “slower exponential rate”.
Chris Whitty says the NHS has rolled out vaccines “in a magnificent way” and that fully vaccinated people reduces infection by 78% and 80% results are showing.
But he warned there will be an “exit wave”, saying the “slower we take it”, the fewer the number of people who will have COVID.
The chief scientific adviser says that while the link between cases and deaths is “different” now – with the risk of dying from COVID after vaccination 10 times lower – it “still exists”.
Professor Chris Whitty adds that we would see a rise in infections regardless of when we open up.
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