The line from officials on the chance of lockdown ending on June 21st has shifted from "nil" to "very good" in less than a week – largely due to confidence in the effectiveness of vaccines against the Indian variant.
The Prime Minister has committed to announcing "by the end of the month" whether or not lockdown will come to an end on June 21st. He will provide more details on plans for vaccine passports at the same time.
Boris Johnson has told Conservative MPs that he would like to scrap the "one-metre plus" rule in hospitality settings on June 21st – but only if figures continue to go in "the right direction".
One of Independent SAGE's "experts", who has criticised the Government for not delaying the latest easing of lockdown restrictions, is a social scientist-cum-race adviser with no medical qualifications.
Boris Johnson is holding talks with his Cabinet today amid reports that there is a "close to nil" chance that lockdown will end on June 21st because of fears over the Indian Covid variant.
Fears over the Indian Covid variant could delay key announcements from the Prime Minister on "social" distancing and vaccine passports as the Government needs more "time to assess the latest data".
The Government is considering extending lockdown beyond June 21st to protect those who refuse the vaccine from the Indian variant. According to one minister, some unvaccinated "idiots" risk ruining it for everyone else.
In spite of a last-minute lobbying campaign by various SAGE panjandrums to postpone step three of the Prime Minister's roadmap, most parts of the U.K. will be easing restrictions on Monday. Praise the Lord.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock says there is a "high degree of confidence" that vaccines work against the Indian Covid variant, but that it can "spread like wildfire" among those who are unvaccinated.
The 30-person limit on the number of mourners who can attend funerals is set to end in England on May 17th, but some venues are still imposing this restriction beyond the next step of the "roadmap" out of lockdown.
