Covid Restrictions Will Not Be Lifted Before July 19, Sajid Javid Confirms

The new health secretary, Sajid Javid, has confirmed that the final Covid restrictions will not be lifted until July 19.

Javid revealed the government’s decision not to plump for an earlier easing of restrictions on July 5 in his first Commons statement since replacing his disgraced predecessor Matt Hancock in the job.

Earlier, Javid said there would be “no going back” to Covid rules once England’s lockdown is lifted.

Boris Johnson meanwhile said England was “set fair” for the final easing of restrictions on July 19, four weeks after the initially scheduled date of June 21 for step four of the prime minister’s road map out of lockdown.

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This article originally appeared on HuffPost UK and has been updated.