PM Johnson turns to economy, saying worst of COVID over

LONDON (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday the worst of the coronavirus pandemic would be behind us if the country is careful, meaning that the economy could recover "like a coiled spring".

"With every day that goes by we build higher the wall of vaccine-acquired immunity ... And with every day that goes by our economy is slowly and cautiously picking itself up off the floor, businesses are opening their doors," he said in a speech in central England.

"There is every prospect that this country is poised to recover like a coiled spring."

(Reporting by Alistair Smout, writing by Elizabeth Piper, editing by Kate Holton)