As a final step in the UK government’s four-step opening plan, restrictions on the number of people designated for gatherings, both indoors and outdoors, will be lifted from Monday. There are no longer any restrictions on staff at weddings or funerals, and anywhere that has been closed so far due to the pandemic, including nightclubs, can open. From now on, you can eat in restaurants and bars not only at the table, but also in the bar.
Photo: NIKLAS HALLE’N / AFP
From Monday, the certificate of protection is not required anywhere, and wearing a mask is not mandatory in enclosed spaces, such as public transport, but it is still recommended to wear a mask in crowded places where people meet strangers.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the focus is now on “individual judgment and responsibility” but “people are still expected to take care of themselves and others” as the number of coronavirus cases is expected to continue to rise.
“If we don’t open now, we have to ask ourselves if we will ever open. Now is the time” Johnson said, adding that the opening should be done carefully because the virus is still present and the delta variant is highly contagious.
The government has delayed removing the legal restrictions from the original date of June 21 to four weeks later, Monday, so that the vaccination campaign can keep pace with the spread of the delta variant. Nearly 8 million first and second doses of coronavirus vaccines have been given in the UK in the past four weeks, more than two-thirds of adults have received both doses, and nearly 60 per cent of those under 25 have received at least the first dose. All adults have the possibility to schedule an appointment for the vaccination. (MTI)
