BORIS Johnson said tonight he won’t be able to confirm for weeks if the Indian variant will threaten his June 21 lockdown lifting.
The news leaves Brits in further limbo after days of saying he thinks the roadmap is on track.
He admitted there were worries about whether all the rules may be lifted next month as he previously hoped.
The PM said he would be able to tell us for sure soon, saying: “I think in a couple of weeks we will know, much, much more than we than we do now.”
He’s previously given one week of notice before each of the lockdown lifting dates, so we can expect the same here.
The PM also said earlier this week he will give an update on weddings at the end of the month – which will be a major hint if he can relax other rules in June too, or leave them as they are.
Ministers are growing worried about the India variant, and have tonight announced that the gap between first and second jabs will be slashed in order to try and protect people quicker.
When asked if the 21 June unlocking would go ahead as planned, he replied: “I think the truth is that we, at this stage, simply can’t say for certain, as things stand…
“We rule nothing out.
“There is the risk of disruption and delay. We take nothing off the table of means of controlling this virus and this variant, and we will do whatever it takes to keep you all safe.
It comes as:
- The Indian variant is 50 per cent more transmissible, new SAGE documents revealed
- The PM announced the gap between first and second jabs would be slashed to eight weeks
- Chris Whitty said the next few weeks were critical for finding out more about the faster spreading of the India variant
- Four people have now died from the Indian variant, PHE said earlier
- The army will be brought in to help in Bolton, to clamp down on a surge in cases, and vaccine sites will be kept open even longer too.
- Experts warned that the Indian variant could be up to 60 per cent more transmissible than the Kent strain
- Nicola Sturgeon slowed down her roadmap and said Glasgow would stay in higher levels of rules from Monday
- The Covid R rate crept up and could be 1.1 in parts of UK
- Boris said it was unlikely that any more countries will be added to the green list anytime soon
