'Probably the only option' - Brits understanding of lockdown extension

Record ID: 1621377

  • Title: 'Probably the only option' - Brits understanding of lockdown extension
  • Date: 15th June 2021
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (JUNE 15, 2021) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF TOWER BRIDGE AND RIVER THAMES VARIOUS OF PEOPLE WALKING ON LONDON BRIDGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWYER, ANDREW EVANS, SAYING: "I think in the circumstances that we're in, it's probably the only option that the government has. Maybe they were a bit slow to close the borders when this Delta variant was about
  • Embargoed: 29th June 2021 11:56
  • Keywords: Boris Johnson Britain COVID-19 Coronavirus London Bridge Tower Bridge delay government lockdown prime minister restrictions
  • Location: LONDON AND TONBRIDGE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • City: LONDON AND TONBRIDGE, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Europe,Health/Medicine
  • Reuters ID: LVA001EHIFNT3
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Britons were left frustrated yet understanding on Tuesday (June 15) after Prime Minister Boris Johnson delayed his plans to lift most remaining COVID-19 restrictions by a month.
    While many people will now have to cancel summer plans, several people who spoke to Reuters said they understood why the government had postponed the unlocking.
    On Monday Johnson told the public that thousands of more people might die if the unlock went ahead due to the rapid spread of the more infectious Delta variant.
    Under the final stage of a plan outlined by Johnson in February, he had hoped to lift most social restrictions on June 21, meaning pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and other hospitality venues could fully reopen.
    That much-anticipated step was pushed back to July 19.
    The extra time would be used to speed up Britain's vaccination programme - already one of the world's furthest advanced - by shortening the recommended time between doses for those aged over 40 to eight weeks from 12 weeks.
    The situation would be reviewed on June 28, which could allow the reopening to be brought forward, although Johnson's spokesman said that was considered unlikely.
    In recent weeks there has been fast growth in new cases caused by the Delta variant, first discovered in India.
    Health officials believe it is 60% more transmissible than the previous dominant strain and scientists have warned that it could trigger a third wave of infections.
    The opposition Labour Party blamed the government for the delay, saying it had been too slow to close borders to travellers from India.
    On Monday, Britain recorded 7,742 new COVID-19 cases and three deaths.
    Johnson said the number of cases was growing by about 64% per week and the number of people in hospitals' intensive care units was rising.
    Britain has officially reported almost 128,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic, the seventh-highest number globally.
    Monday's decision was based on scientific modelling which showed that, if the reopening went ahead as planned, under some scenarios hospitalisations could match those in March last year when ministers feared the health system could be overwhelmed.
    (Production: Will Russell, Gerhard Mey, Natalie Thomas, Ben Dangerfield)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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