UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced at a press conference on Monday that most coronavirus lockdown restrictions will end on July 19, and that it will be up to citizens to decide whether they will continue to wear their masks on the streets and in confined places, noting that the final decision will be announced next Monday, July 12.

The American newspaper, “New York Times”, reported that the number of hospitalized cases and death rates remain stable, although the coronavirus variants have increased in the United Kingdom, which reported more than 24,000 daily cases last Sunday; the highest number recorded since last February. 

Johnson announced that “thanks to the successful rollout of our vaccination program, we are progressing cautiously through our roadmap (to lifting lockdown). Today, we will set out how we can restore people’s freedoms.” 

British officials stated that they hope to offer booster shots to people over 50 and other vulnerable groups this winter. According to the “New York Times”, at least 50% of the UK population has been vaccinated. Moreover, 86% of adults in England have received at least one dose of the vaccine, which is one of the highest rates in the world.