BORIS Johnson is set to delay lockdown lifting “freedom day” to July 19 after cases of the mutant Indian strain exploded by 240 per cent in just a week, A Journalist can reveal.
Under plans drawn up to be announced on Monday, a two-week review will be included meaning Covid restrictions could be dropped on July 5 if hospitalisations stay down.
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But multiple sources told the Sun the chances of lifting restrictions as planned on June 21 were close to zero – in a massive blow to Wembley hosting of the Euros.
Group games will have a 25 per cent stadium cap – 22,500 fans – with that hopefully rising to around 45,000 for the Semis and the July 11 Final.
It had been hoped Wembley could be full of fully jabbed or tested fans by then, but the delay to the last phase of the roadmap has scotched that.
Running the big matches as pilots for Covid certification trials means the capacity numbers can be stretched, but there will still be thousands of empty seats.
It comes as:
- Brits must be “really careful” not to “squander hard-fought gains”, a minister has warned
- The UK economy grew 2.3 per cent in April as lockdown restrictions eased
- Theresa May blasts ‘chaotic and incomprehensible’ holidays ban despite world-beating vaccine rollout
- Matt Hancock admitted the first lockdown was delayed – despite warnings one million might die
- The Indian – or Delta – strain is up to 60 per cent more infectious, experts say
- Cases passed 8,000 today with cases of the Indian variant tripling in a week
Whitehall sources involved in planning for the delay, point to the fact that all UK adults will have been offered at least one jab by the end of July, with short delay considered far better than having to u-turn and reintroduce restrictions.
One source said: “The last thing they need is a hokey cokey of in out, in out of restrictions.
“No one wants to go backwards, and we have to get this right first go.”
The delay will be used to work out if the vaccine rollout really means rising cases numbers do not spark a surge in hospitalisations – and it will allow millions more people to be double jabbed.
