Covid-19 restrictions due to end

The Prime Minister has announced that Covid-19 restrictions are set to end in England and life will soon return close to normal, with people's judgement being key in learning to live with the virus.

Step four of the government's roadkill out of lockdown is expected to start on Monday 19 July 2021, subject to a final review of the data on Monday 12 July 2021.

The news comes as a significantly high proportion of the population are vaccinated against Covid-19 to significantly weaken the link between infection and severe disease and death. The government says this means that the country can learn to live with Coronavirus without the need for the stringent economic and social restrictions which have been in place since March 2020.

But the pandemic is not over. Cases are currently rising as are hospitalisations, and deaths, and they will rise further as society opens. So we are being asked to remain vigilant, make informed decisions and act carefully and proportionately to manage the risks to ourselves and others.

The new phase of the government's response to the pandemic moves away from restrictions on everyone's day to day lives and towards managing Covid-19 by advising people on how to protect themselves and others, alongside targeted interventions to reduce risk.

You can read the Covid-19 response: summer 2021 guidance in full on the government's website