- The UK will lift most of the coronavirus restrictions starting on July 19.
- From August 16, English adults who have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine will no longer need to self-isolate.
- The Delta variant explains all new Covid-19 cases in the UK.
Despite warnings that the number of new cases per day will more than triple to 100,000, the UK announced on Tuesday that it plans to further relax restrictions on the pandemic.
Health Minister Sajid Javid said that from August 16th, adults in England who have received two doses of the coronavirus vaccine will no longer need to self-isolate if they are in close contact with a positive case.
He told the parliament that they only need to be tested and isolated if they are found to be positive.
Javid added that the same rules will apply to children under the age of 18 who have not yet been vaccinated in the UK. These regulations will be introduced before returning to school in the September semester. In the previous months, the entire class was sent home amidst the anger of parents.
The day after Prime Minister Boris Johnson revealed plans to lift most of England’s coronavirus restrictions (including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing) from July 19, the Minister of Health is updating MPs to urge individuals to take responsibility instead of Government decree.
Other countries in the UK—Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland—have their own health policies, and progress has been slow.
Johnson’s original goal was to fully reopen on June 21, but due to the proliferation of highly contagious Delta variants, it was forced to postpone the date.
Read also | After contact with Covid-19, England will cancel the self-isolation of fully vaccinated and children
This change is reflected in almost all new Covid-19 cases in the UK, and the daily infection rate has soared to nearly 30,000 in recent days.
Javid said that by July 19, this number could reach 50,000 per day, and as high as 100,000 in the late summer.
But he emphasized to members of Congress that the vaccination campaign “weakened” the connection with hospitalization and death, calling vaccination “our defense wall.”
According to the UK’s National Health Service, more than 86% of British adults have received at least one injection, and 64% of them are fully vaccinated.
He also responded to media reports that the three batches of AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in India have not yet been approved for use in the European Union, which may hinder summer travel in the UK for those who receive these doses.
Javid said that the UK has not used the Covishield brand jab made by the Serum Institute of India, and the government is having “in-depth discussions” with Brussels on this issue.
