Don’t dump your masks! Boris Johnson warns caution is still vital after July 19
Don’t dump your masks! Boris Johnson warns caution is still vital after July 19 and people should ‘expect’ to keep wearing coverings in trains and supermarkets even after restrictions are lifted
- The Prime Minister will confirm plans to end most Covid laws next Monday
- But he said that the plan to restore our freedoms ‘must come with a warning’
- Despite alleged ‘freedom day’ the PM will also publish new ‘guidance’ on safety
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Boris Johnson will today warn that people should ‘expect’ to keep wearing masks in crowded settings such as trains and supermarkets even after restrictions are lifted on July 19.
The Prime Minister will use a Downing Street press conference this afternoon to confirm plans to end most Covid laws next Monday, despite surging cases.
But last night he said that the plan to restore our freedoms ‘must come with a warning’.
Last week, Mr Johnson said that mask wearing would become ‘a personal choice’ after July 19
The Prime Minister will use a Downing Street press conference this afternoon to confirm plans to end most Covid laws next Monday, despite surging cases
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi yesterday said there would now be a clear ‘expectation’ that people should continue to wear face masks in crowded indoor settings
The PM said that cases will inevitably continue to rise as restrictions are eased, adding: ‘Caution is absolutely vital, and we must all take responsibility so we don’t undo our progress, ensuring we continue to protect our NHS.’
The July 19 ‘Freedom Day’ was meant to herald a return to normality but the PM will also publish new ‘guidance’ setting out precautions people should continue to take.
Vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi yesterday said there would now be a clear ‘expectation’ that people should continue to wear face masks in crowded indoor settings.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid went further, saying it would be ‘irresponsible’ not to wear a mask in busy indoor settings and Susan Hopkins, of Public Health England, said people should also continue to work from home and try to social distance after July 19.
Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith last night accused ministers of ‘losing their nerve’ over the lifting of restrictions.
He said: ‘This is not freedom at all. Ministers are being beaten up by the scientists in the media and they are beginning to wobble. The question for the scientists is: do they believe the vaccines work? If they work – and they clearly do to reduce hospitalisations and deaths – then we should not be continuing to sacrifice the economy on the altar of some misguided zero Covid policy.’
His accusation came as:
- No 10 issued figures showing Covid vaccines have saved 30,000 lives and prevented 8.5million infections in England alone.
- Dr Hopkins warned that hospitalisations could soar to 4,000 a day by the end of the summer, the same level as at the peak in January.
- Another 31,772 new Covid cases were recorded but there were signs the rate of growth is slowing and the 26 deaths recorded in the past 24 hours are a fraction of the toll seen at the peak of the pandemic.
The July 19 ‘Freedom Day’ was meant to herald a return to normality but the PM will also publish new ‘guidance’ setting out precautions people should continue to take
Last week, Mr Johnson said that mask wearing would become ‘a personal choice’ after July 19. Several senior ministers, including Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Environment Secretary George Eustice said they would be ditching their masks at the earliest opportunity.
But Mr Zahawi said yesterday: ‘The guidelines that we’ll set out tomorrow will demonstrate that, including guidelines that people are expected to wear masks in indoor enclosed spaces.’ He also urged shops and transport operators to continue to require mask-wearing.
Mr Johnson last night said caution remained essential. ‘We are tantalisingly close to the final milestone in our roadmap out of lockdown, but the plan to restore our freedoms must come with a warning,’ he said.
