A number of large supermarket chains, including Sainsbury's and Tesco, have announced that they will continue to tell customers – over tannoys and on signs – to wear face masks when in-store after "Freedom Day".
Two-thirds of all U.K. adults have received two doses of a Covid vaccine almost a week ahead of schedule, Health Secretary Sajid Javid has announced. So why is the Government gearing up for more restrictions?
Sadiq Khan says face masks will remain compulsory on London transport beyond "Freedom Day" and for "as long as the virus is still with us". Andy Burnham has not "ruled out" doing the same in Manchester.
Students at the University of Oxford have been instructed that the institution's rules on social distancing, face masks and working from home will not change after "Freedom Day" because "Covid remains a real threat".
There's was a particularly downbeat tone to the Prime Minister's speech on Monday evening in which he said that the country can proceed with easing lockdown restrictions on July 19th, but "with caution".
Ending mask-wearing rules and allowing people to make up their own minds would be a "recipe for confrontation", says Labour's Kate Green. She believes that masks and social distancing should continue beyond July 19th.
Reports suggest that a high proportion of Brits not only disagree with the easing of lockdown restrictions but are also seeking help from mental health organisations due to anxiety over "Freedom Day".
While there will be no "legal compulsion" to wear a face mask after July 19th, people will still be "expected to wear masks in indoor enclosed spaces", according to Vaccines Minister Nadim Zahawi.
The Welsh Government has announced that it will not be ending all mask-wearing requirements when the country reaches the final stage of its 'roadmap' out of lockdown because "the virus has quite certainly not gone away".
The closer we get to July 19th, the further we seem to shift from normality. It's no wonder then that the Prime Minister is said to be attempting to tone down the "Freedom Day" rhetoric.
