Coronavirus latest: Young people propelling Covid infections in US, says CDC

Boris Johnson on Monday said that further lockdown measures will be lifted in England from April 12, but warned the public against “complacency”.

Speaking at the Downing Street briefing, the prime minister said that the country will enter into the second step of the roadmap on April 12, with non-essential retail outlets permitted to open alongside personal care businesses such as hair salons and barber shops.

Indoor leisure facilities, including gyms, and public buildings, such as libraries, will also reopen. Outdoor hospitality venues, such as pub gardens, and outdoor entertainment venues, including zoos and theme parks, can also reopen under step 2.

“We think that these changes are fully justified by the data, which show that we are meeting our four tests for easing the lockdown”, he said, adding: “We still don’t know how strong the vaccine shield will be when cases begin to rise.”

Johnson also urged the public to take advantage of the twice weekly coronavirus testing due to be offered to the public from April 9, adding that many who test positive do not show symptoms.

More than 31m people throughout the UK have been vaccinated with their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine as of April 4, according to the latest data.

As of April 1, the seven-day rolling average of hospitalisations in the UK was 3,536, down from more than 35,000 people in January, England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty added.