Source::Xinhuanet
XINHUA/RSS
Most coronavirus restrictions are set to end on July 19 as part of the final step of England's roadmap out of the lockdown, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed Monday.
Face masks and distancing rules will no longer be legally required in England from July 19, Johnson told a news conference at Downing Street. Although the government will end the legal obligation on wearing a face covering, guidance will suggest "where you might choose to do so", he said.
The rule of six inside private homes will also be removed and work-from-home guidance will be scrapped, said the prime minister. There will be no COVID-19 certificate required to attend events or venues, he added.
However, Johnson said the pandemic is "far from over" and the country would have to "reconcile ourselves sadly to more deaths". "We must be honest with ourselves that if we can't reopen our society in the next few weeks - when we will be helped by the arrival of summer, and by the school holidays - then we must ask ourselves when will we be able to return to normal?," he added.
The final step, or Step Four, is expected to begin on July 19 if the government's "four tests" for easing COVID restrictions have been met, according to the British government. This will be confirmed on July 12 following a review of the latest data.
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