Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that a final decision on easing lockdown in England will be taken on 12 July, as he set out his plans for “living with COVID” from July 19.

Boris Johnson has set out his plans for lifting lockdown restrictions and “living with COVID” from July 19, ahead of the planned announcement on July 12, subject to a final review of the data.

The Prime Minister warned a news conference on July 5 that the pandemic is

“far from over and won’t be over by July 19”.

Mr Johnson said that cases are rising “fairly rapidly” and that the country is also seeing a rise in hospital admissions.

Mr Johnson said that the government will move away from legal restrictions to allow people to make “informed decisions” about how to manage the virus. Limits on social contact will end, meaning there will be no restrictions on indoor or outdoor gatherings. Weddings, funerals and other life events able to take place without limits or restrictions.

All venues currently closed will be allowed to reopen, including nightclubs, and there will be no legal requirement for table service in hospitality settings.

Face coverings will no longer be legally required in shops, schools, hospitality, or on public transport although guidance will be in place to suggest where people might choose to wear one, such as where you come into contact with people you don’t usually meet in enclosed and crowded places.

The government reviews into social distancing and COVID-status certification have also now concluded. The 1m-plus rule will be lifted other than in specific places such as at the border to help manage the risks of new variants coming into the country.

There will be no legal requirement on the use of COVID-status certification as a condition of entry for visitors to any domestic setting.

You can read the Prime Minister’s statement, in full, here.

Plans on “living with COVID”

  • Face masks will no longer be legally required.
  • The 1m-plus social distancing rule will end.
  • All legal restrictions on numbers meeting indoors and outdoors will be removed.
  • All businesses, including nightclubs, can reopen.
  • Table service rules at bars and restaurants and venue check-in requirements will end.
  • The limit on the number of named visitors to care homes will be lifted.
  • Capacity limits for concerts, theatres and sports events will also be removed.
  • Guidance instructing people to work from home where possible will be lifted.
  • Council powers to enforce rules will expire.
  • The interval between vaccine doses for under-40s will be reduced from twelve weeks to eight – meaning everyone over 18 should be double-jabbed by mid-September.
    • This is in addition to an autumn programme for booster jabs for the most vulnerable.
  • The government will move away from legal restrictions to allow people to make “informed decisions” about how to manage the virus.

It is now down to employers to assess the risk of the risk of Covid 19 both in and from their workplace and to ensure that they are doing all they can to prevent the spread.

If you need help with this assessment, then please contact us on 01458 253682 or [email protected]