Self-isolating UK PM urges caution as COVID-19 lockdown legally ends in England

TIL Desk/World/London/ British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday urged caution as the legal lockdown restrictions come to an end in England on so-called “Freedom Day”, even as he remains in self-isolation after coming in contact with UK Health Secretary Sajid Javid who has tested positive for COVID-19.

Johnson warned of the “extreme contagiousness” of the Delta variant of coronavirus, which continues to keep the infection rate in the country at very high levels.

Under Step Four of the government’s four-step roadmap to end lockdown, COVID restrictions have now been replaced with guidance emphasising personal judgement and responsibility on face masks in indoor settings and caution in large gatherings.

“We’re doing a big opening up, and that’s quite right. If we don’t do it now we’ll be opening up in the autumn and winter months when the virus has the advantage of the cold weather. We’ll lose the precious firebreak we get with the school holidays,” said Johnson in a video posted on Twitter.