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Boris Johnson discusses Stage 4 of roadmap out of lockdown
Confirming that many controls will be lifted on Freedom Day, the Prime Minister said he still “expected” mask-wearing in crowded places. He added: “It is absolutely vital that we proceed now with caution. “And I cannot say this powerfully or emphatically enough – this pandemic is not over.” Warning that the virus remains a deadly threat, Mr Johnson appealed to the public to exercise “personal responsibility” and to “think of others”.
People will be “expected” to put on masks while using public transport and in other busy closed situations, although the coverings will no longer be compulsory.
Owners of nightclubs and other large venues will be encouraged to check the vaccination or antibody status of customers under the NHS Covid Pass scheme.
While the test, trace and isolate system continues, along with compulsory quarantine for travellers arriving from coronavirus red list countries, and fresh safety guidance for the clinically extremely vulnerable will be published today.
The Prime Minister insisted “the right moment to proceed” with step four of his roadmap to normality had arrived, thanks to protection given by mass vaccinations.
He called for a gradual return to workplaces after more than a year of employees being encouraged to work at home. But the PM warned that caution was needed because of an expected surge in virus infectionss once restrictions are lifted.
Mr Johnson continued: “This disease coronavirus continues to carry risks for you and for your family.We cannot simply revert instantly from Monday July 19 to life as it was before Covid.
“We will stick to our plan to lift legal restrictions and to lift social distancing, but we expect and recommend that people wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where you come into contact with those you don’t normally meet, such as on public transport.
Sajid Javid warned there would never be an ideal moment to end restrictions (Image: Getty )
“We’re removing the Govern-ment instruction to work from home where you can but we
don’t expect that the whole country will return to their desks as one from Monday.
“And we’re setting out guidance for business for a gradual return to work over the summer.”
He said the final stage of his route out of lockdown in England should not be taken as a cue for people to let down their guard: “What we want to do is get people to think carefully about the ending of the restrictions.
“This is not the end of Covid, it requires constant vigilance. It means thinking about others as well as yourself. It means thinking about wearing a face covering in confined spaces where you meet other people that you don’t normally meet.
“Because the legal restrictions have come off should not be taken as an invitation by everybody simply to have a great jubilee and freedom from any kind of caution or restraint.”
He added: “I hope that the roadmap is irreversible but in order to have that, it has also got to be a cautious approach.
Sir Patrick Vallance said there is ‘no doubt’ the country was in a third wave of the virus (Image: Getty )
“That’s why we waited those extra weeks to get seven million more jabs into people’s arms.
“We will proceed on Monday the 19th, but what people need to remember is that this pandemic is not over.
“If we’re cautious and everybody gets vaccinated then, yes, we can make steady progress.”
Defending his decision to scrap masks being mandatory, the Prime Minister said: “We’re trying to move towards personal responsibility, people thinking about others as well as about themselves.
“And that applies to the social distancing, that applies to how we think about the vulnerable, how we make sure that we continue to exercise extreme caution as we continue in the fight.”
Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty urged people to go steadily in order to minimise any extra pressure on health services.
He added: “Everybody who works in the NHS – and indeed everybody who might use it or has friends or relatives who might use it – is going to want to keep the numbers of cases right down.
The PM is proceeding with step four of his roadmap thanks to protection given by mass vaccination (Image: Getty )
“That is one of the many reasons why we really want to urge people to take this really steadily because that’s the way to keep the numbers down, to keep the pressure on the NHS lower and make the possibility of clearing this number of cases much easier.”
Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said there was “no doubt” the country was in a third wave of the virus that would add to hospital admissions. He added: “If behaviour returns immediately to pre-pandemic levels that will be a very, very big rise. If we go slowly and cautiously, it will be less.”
Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned MPs that there would never be an ideal moment to end restrictions. Speaking in the Commons, he said: “To those who say ‘Why take this step now?’, I say: If not now, then when?
“There will never be a perfect time to take this step, because we simply cannot eradicate this virus. Coronavirus is not going away.
“Moving forward next week, supported by the arrival of summer and the school holidays, gives us the best possible chance of a return to normal life. If we wait longer, then we risk pushing the virus towards winter, when the virus will have an advantage or, worse still, we risk not opening up at all.
“Data from Public Health England estimates that two doses of a Covid-19 vaccine offers protection of around 96 per cent against hospitalisation, meaning fewer Covid patients in hospital beds and fewer people mourning.”
He said it was estimated vaccines in England had saved around 30,000 lives and stopped 46,000 people needing to go to hospital.
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