Face Masks, Rule Of Six and Social Distancing To Be Discard On July 19 Freedom Day

 

Britain is stated to be on track to lift all current restrictions for Freedom Day - regardless of current reports that some measures would still apply.

Ministers are prompted by "very, very" low death numbers and a slowdown in infections, The Times reports.

And if the developments continue, social distancing and the Rule of Six inside will be lifted, alongside with limits on mass gatherings outside.

The Government is anticipated to confirm on Monday that July 5 is too early to lift restrictions, to make sure more people can get their second jab.

But a senior government source informed The Times that ministers want to "get as close to normal as possible" on July 19.

The emphasis will therefore no longer be on legal guidelines and regulations, but on "personal responsibility".

It would mean face masks would no longer be obligatory certain spaces, replaced rather with recommendation for wearing them.

Work from home guidance is additionally expected to be dropped - leaving it up to employers and individuals to determine the best way forward.

It comes after Boris Johnson pressured this week that July 19's new Freedom Day was "looking good" - though he refused to rule out further lockdowns if necessary.

On a visit to a Hertsfordshire lab the Prime Minister hailed science as the "great liberator" paving a path back to freedom.

And when grilled about the prospect of future lockdowns, he said: "You can by no means exclude that there will be some new disease, some new horror that we simply have not budgeted for, or accounted for.

"But looking at where we are, looking at the efficacy of the vaccines in opposition to all variants that we can presently see - so Alpha, Delta, the lot of them, Kappa - I suppose it is looking good for July 19 to be that terminus point."