Freedom Day may have to wait as health officials urge lockdown lift delay

‘Freedom Day’, the last lifting of all Covid restrictions in England is on 21 June. But public health officials urge for a delay to “stop us going backwards”. A government announcement is expected on Monday regarding whether or not removal of restrictions will go ahead. Speculation suggests lockdown measures may be extended for another two to four weeks.

The pandemic is not over yet, and it looks like the UK may fall at the last hurdle. Unlocking on the set date runs the risk of increasing hospital admissions, and ruining the progress made in tackling the virus.

The final stage of the roadmap out of lockdown the removal of all restrictions, including legal limits on social contact. In addition, nightclubs can reopen, live performances can return, and weddings can have unrestricted receptions and numbers of guests again.

One of the biggest concerns on fully reopening society is due to the spread of the more infectious Delta variant. This mutation, first detected in India, is now dominant in the UK, with nearly 30,000 new cases in the past week, which is 90% of cases. Data suggests that almost two thirds of people with infections of this variant have not received any doses of vaccine.

The government now have a “fiendishly difficult decision” to make on whether to end lockdown. However, it may prove beneficial to keep moving forward in the long run, if we take time out now and delay reopening. The UK have to be careful as the virus has not gone away, and will continue trying to mutate again.

Progress of vaccinations

The UK reported over 7,000 new cases on Thursday, for the second day in a row, a figure not exceeded since late February.

It won’t take long for hospitalisations to rise if enough people become infected with coronavirus. Plus, the more people who get infected, the more likely it is for other variants to develop. We can’t afford to risk a variant developing that is completely resistant to the vaccine. It is important to invest time into finishing the vaccine programme, and letting it do its job.

The latest figures show that around 29 million people in the UK have received both doses of vaccine, which is 54.8% of the adult population. The UK is also still on track to meet its target of offering everyone over the age of 50 a second dose by 21 June.

Meanwhile, the PM pledged to donate 100 million surplus vaccines to poorer countries. But the UK’s contribution to global vaccinations will not affect the progress of our nation and cause longer waits for a jab.

There may be a delay to Freedom Day, but it will come eventually.

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