LONDON (Reuters) – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Tuesday that he was very optimistic that all COVID-19 restrictions in England would end on June 21, and added that the government would hold a review into of vaccine certificates.
“I’m hopeful but obviously, nothing can be guaranteed … I’m very optimistic that we’ll be able to get there,” Johnson told broadcasters when asked about the June 21 date earmarked to end restrictions in a roadmap he unveiled on Monday.
Asked about the issuing of vaccine certificates for those who have received a coronavirus shot, he said: “There are deep and complex issues that we need to explore, ethical issues about what the role is for government in mandating all people to have something or indeed banning people from doing such a thing.”
He said senior minister Michael Gove would lead a review into the issue, although he added some form of vaccine passport would be “going to come on the international stage whatever” for foreign travel.
(Reporting by Michael Holden and Alistair Smout)
