VACCINES Minister Nadhim Zahawi will lead a Covid press conference at 5pm today to urge remaining Brits to get jabbed.
The Government is rallying un-vaccinated adults to book their slots to give Boris Johnson the best chance of ending lockdown on July 19.
This evening’s briefing comes ahead of a crunch announcement on Monday when Boris Johnson will decide whether to unlock early on July 5.
The PM is poring over the latest data before making up his mind – but he is unlikely to cut short his roadmap and instead hold tight until July 19.
His decision to delay Freedom Day for four weeks was to keep the super-infectious Delta variant at bay while more Brits got jabbed.
The Government’s target is for all over-18s – who are now eligible to book an appointment – to have been offered a single dose before July 19.
In key Covid developments:
- A minister defended the expected decision to allow UEFA VIPs to skip quarantine
- Hopes rose that more countries will be added to the green list tomorrow
- Facemasks and social distancing is set to be scrapped on July 19
- Bullish experts said England could unlock early on July 5
Mr Zahawi – who is fronting his first Downing Street press conference tonight – regularly bangs the drum for people to get the jab on the airwaves.
He has been especially vocal in encouraging ethnic minority communities to get vaccinated amid fears of low take-up rates.
A majority 60 per cent of adults have had their second dose, and a whopping 82 per cent have received their first.
Ministers are now under pressure to tear up certain restrictions such as mandatory quarantine for the fully-vaccinated.
The PM and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have both confirmed they are looking at letting double-jabbed Brits skip quarantine.
It would come as a huge boost for holidaymakers longing for a post-pandemic getaway.
Culture minister John Whittingdale today raised hopes, telling Sky News: “People like to get away to the sun and there are a number of countries on the green list, and hopefully it will be possible to increase that number
