Because of the rapid spread of the Delta variety, the UK's Freedom Day has been put back from June 21 to July 19, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Monday night in a live webcast from 10 Downing Street.

“We've certainly had to make a difficult decision,” he remarked. On June 21st, we can simply carry out all of step four (including releasing all restrictions), despite the fact that there is a genuine risk that the virus may outpace the vaccines, resulting in thousands more deaths that could have been spared.

“Or else we can give the NHS a few more crucial weeks to get those remaining jobs into the arms of those who need them. And since today I cannot say that we have met all our four tests for proceeding with step four on June 21st I think it is sensible to wait just a little longer.”

He provided some context: “We now have one of the most open economies and societies in Europe, thanks to the huge efforts of the British people in the amazing vaccine rollout.”

“And as we’ve always known, and as the February roadmap explicitly predicted, this opening up over the last three steps has inevitably been accompanied by more infection, and more hospitalisation because we must be clear that we cannot simply eliminate Covid — we must learn to live with it.

“And with every day that goes by, we are better protected by the vaccines, and we are better able to live with the disease.”