The lockdown in the United Kingdom now may extend beyond June 21 after the discovery of the new COVID variant named Delta. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson reportedly told his Cabinet that the data collected in the last four weeks will decide whether all legal coronavirus restrictions can end by June 21.
Boris Johnson’s official spokesperson said, “There still remains nothing in the data currently to suggest Step 4 can’t go ahead at the earliest date. But we do need to look very closely at the data over this coming week”.
The Step 4 would involve opening of indoor venues which are still shut. It will include opening of the nightclubs, and doing away with the restrictions on big events and performances.
Cabinet ministers have previously suggested that there would be limited measures in place beyond June 21. It will include working from home, wearing a mask in public places, maintaining social distance in bars and restaurants, among others.
Meanwhile England is registering a major spike in Delta variant cases in places like Greater Manchester and Lancashire. According to Public Health Wales (PHW), there are 178 active cases of the Delta variant in the country. Which is an increase of 81 cases since June 3.
PHW said, “The organisation is alerting the public that Wales may slowly be beginning to experience localised community transmission of the variant, with increasing evidence of cases with no travel history”.
