British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged caution as most legal restrictions on social contact are lifted in England. There are now no limits on how many people can meet or attend events; nightclubs reopened at midnight; and table service will not be necessary in pubs and restaurants. Face coverings will be recommended in some spaces, but not required by law. Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said government experts had recommended that only some under-18s be vaccinated. The PM, chancellor and the health secretary are self-isolating, and there are warnings cases of Covid will surge. On BBC Radio 4s Today programme, Mr Zahawi defended the U-turn which saw the prime minister and chancellor self-isolating, after initially saying they would take part in a pilot programme to take daily tests instead. Zahawi insisted that Johnson only considered joining the pilot scheme, adding: No one is taking anyone for fools. Some scientists are predicting that UK infections - currently at about 50,000 a day - could reach 200,000 a day later in the summer. But with more than 68% of UK adults fully vaccinated, modelling suggests hospital admissions, serious illness and deaths from Covid-19 will be at a lower level than in earlier peaks. In a video posted on Twitter on Sunday afternoon, the prime minister said now was the right moment to move to the final stage of Englands roadmap out of lockdown. If we dont do it now weve got to ask ourselves, when will we ever do it? he said, adding that the virus would have the advantage of the cold weather in autumn and winter. But weve got to do it cautiously. Weve got to remember that this virus is sadly still out there. Cases are rising, we can see the extreme contagiousness of the Delta variant. Labours shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said ending legal mask requirements and the recommendation to work from home was reckless, and warned of a day of chaos on the transport network as people returned to offices after months away. The last thing we want on a day like this is chaos and for the public health measures to be undermined, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. But Nadhim Zahawi defended the reopening, saying 90% of the most vulnerable had been vaccinated and it was right for people to take personal and corporate responsibility over measures such as wearing masks. Were doing the right thing to get as close to normal as possible, as quickly as possible, he told BBC Breakfast, saying that the end of the school term would reduce the spread of the virus. He also said he had received the recommendation from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation about vaccinating children aged 12 to 17 and would make a statement to Parliament on Monday afternoon.
