LONDON (Reuters) – England should retain some coronavirus measures beyond July 19, when most remaining restrictions are due to be lifted, to help limit the spread of the disease, a doctors’ union warned on Saturday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed last Monday that most restrictions in England will end on July 19, on what has been dubbed “Freedom Day”.
However, on Thursday he said British people may have to continue taking some precautions, without giving details.
The British Medical Association wants people to continue using face masks and called for a renewed focus on ventilating properties after a sharp recent rise in COVID-19 cases, with 27,125 reported on Friday.
“This data coupled with some increases in hospitalisation suggests that it would be quite wrong from a public health interest to on July 19 remove all restrictions … or to give the public the expectation that we will have a pre-COVID society where no one has to take any measures to prevent spread,” Dr Chaand Nagpaul, BMA council chair, told Sky News on Saturday.
Fully vaccinated people who have been in contact with a coronavirus sufferer will be free within weeks to carry on life as normal with no need to quarantine, The Times reported on Saturday.
(Reporting by James Davey; Editing by Mike Harrison)
