Coronavirus: Murrison warns of an 'autumn lockdown'

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For many, June 21 – or Freedom Day – signalled the end of lockdown in England, however, key restrictions will remain in place across the country. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has added an extra month to some lockdown measures, following an increase in coronavirus cases over the past few weeks.

The new ‘Freedom Day’ is a month away, on July 19, giving more chance for vaccinations to outpace the growing Delta variant.

The PM said last week on a visit to Yorkshire: “We are very confident that we’ll be able to go through with Step Four of the roadmap on the timetable that I’ve set out, with July the 19th, as I’ve said as a terminus date.

“I think that’s certainly what the data continues to indicate.”

The delay to the end of lockdown is in a bid to get as many people as possible vaccinated before Stage 4 of the lockdown roadmap.

Read More: Boris Johnson next update: When is PM’s next Downing Street briefing?

Brits aged 18 and over can now book their jabs, with people encouraged to get an appointment as soon as possible.

The Delta variant is of increasing concern, with data showing up to 96 percent of Covid cases in the UK are related to the variant.

Up to June 16, a total of 75,953 cases of Delta were found in the UK up from 42,323 the week before.

So which rules are changing tomorrow? And which remain in place?

Which rules ARE changing tomorrow?

From June 21, the following changes will be implemented

– Care home residents will no longer need to self-isolate after leaving their care homes

– Care home residents can nominate an “essential caregiver” who can visit, even if the resident is self-isolating

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– Wedding and wake guests are not limited to 30, however, venues need to undertake a risk assessment to ensure social distancing can take place

– Large event tests will continue, including spectators at Euro 2020 games, festivals and more

– Children can attend overnight trips in groups of 30

Which lockdown rules remain in place?

Rules in place until at least July 19 are:

– Nightclubs must stay closed

– Limits on spectators at sporting events

– Capacity limits remain on venues like pubs, theatres and cinemas

– Limits on the number of people able to socialise indoors and outdoors

As yet there has been no indication as to when the rules on wearing face masks in public spaces will lift, or when social distancing can end.

There has been a suggestion the above rules could lift a fortnight earlier on July 5, however, this would be dependent on the data.

The Daily Mail quoted a source as saying there is “growing evidence that assumptions used by government scientists to justify delaying Freedom Day were too pessimistic”.

The source added: “The decision to delay reopening was so finely balanced – probably the most difficult decision of the whole pandemic – that the PM wanted a review point built-in so that if things did change we could move sooner.

“No one wants these restrictions in place for a day longer than necessary.”

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