Rules on mask-wearing, social distancing and crowd limits will all be changed from July 19 – with England’s seven-month lockdown all but ending in two weeks’ time.
During a press conference on Monday evening (July 5), Boris Johnson confirmed that most of the remaining national COVID measures would be removed later this month – with evidence suggesting the vaccination programme has weakened the link between case numbers and hospitalisations.
From July 19, people will not be legally obliged to wear face coverings, but are advised to do so in busy spaces such as public transport.
The ‘1m +’ distancing guidance is also being removed.
Restaurant/pub customers will no longer have to sign in via QR codes and bar service will resume.
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Large events – including festivals – will be permitted to return in full, whilst the nightlife sector will also reopen.
“It will no longer be necessary for government to instruct people to work from home”
Boris Johnson says step four of easing Covid restrictions means there will also be “no Covid certificate required as a condition of entry to any venue or event”https://t.co/OA1zbFS9Iipic.twitter.com/JNTWQYskxG
Plans for changing isolation measures for fully vaccinated people and children will be discussed by the Health Secretary tomorrow (July 6), whilst the Transport Minister is due to give an update on international travel rules later this week.
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A final decision on these measures is set to be made on July 12.
The PM admitted the pandemic was “far from over”, but that if “we couldn’t open up in the coming weeks, when could we?”
COVID restrictions – including social distancing and face coverings – were originally due to be lifted back in June.
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However, a fresh surge in cases – attributed to the more infectious Delta strain of COVID-19 – forced the government to push back the final step on their roadmap out of lockdown.
On June 14, Johnson said a delay was necessary so that the NHS had extra time to “give crucial jabs into the arms [of those] who need them.”
The PM said the vaccine rollout has since proven “successful”, and the gap between first and second jabs for the under-40s will soon be shortened from 12 weeks to eight.
The 7-day moving average for daily COVID cases in the UK is more than 24,000 – the highest since January.
The death rate, however, has remained low.
Daily deaths from COVID-19 are currently averaging 17 per day, compared to 1,100 in the first month of 2021.
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How will the Government’s new digital ID alternative for alcohol sales work?
Emily Sergeant
All licensed venues across England and Wales now have the choice to introduce digital proof of age for alcohol sales alongside physical.
Instead of having to hand over physical ID that contains personal information, such as names and home addresses, customers now have the choice to simply provide confirmation that they are 18 or over on their phone – helping to better protect privacy and personal safety in the process.
This means that, no matter whether you’re buying a drink at your favourite pub, heading to a festival, or enjoying a night out at a concert, you won’t need to worry if you’ve left your ID at home.
According to the Government, this new change will benefit businesses greatly too, as certified digital services are able to check that an ID is genuine and belongs to the person presenting it much easier than the alternative can, which therefore helps to reduce the risk of any fake or borrowed IDs going undetected.
Well, according to the Government, it could be as simple as a customer showing a QR code for staff to scan, or tapping their phone against a compatible reader, where staff will then receive a clear confirmation on their device that the customer has passed the age check.
This change follows a 2024 Government consultation where it was reported that 72% of respondents supported the use of digital identities for age verification when buying alcohol.
Digital Government Minister Stephanie Peacock reiterated that ‘it will remain an individual or business’ choice whether to use or adopt [digital ID]’ and that physical ID will ‘still remain a valid way’ for customers to prove their age.
“This groundbreaking change in the law will mean you do not need to carry a physical ID, nor hand over sensitive personal information such as your name or address just to prove your age, allowing everyone to feel safer on a night out,” she concluded.
Featured Image – Robin Worrall (via Unsplash)
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Manchester to host G20 Summit in 2027 with more than a dozen world leaders descending on the city
Emily Sergeant
Manchester has been confirmed as the host city for the G20 Summit next year.
It was already announced back in November last year that the G20 Summit would be coming to the UK in 2027, and plans were apparently already being discussed to host it in Manchester even before Andy Burnham became Prime Minister and Number 10 North was set up.
But now, ahead of this year’s leaders’ summit being held in Miami in December, it has been confirmed that the G20 Summit will arrive in Manchester in November 2027.
Manchester is said to have been picked to host the leaders’ summit because of its ‘cultural heritage’.
Bringing together 19 of the world’s largest economies and two major multilateral bodies – the European Union and the African union – G20 members who will be invited to attend the summit next year make up 85% of global GDP, 75% of international trade, and two-thirds of the world’s population as a whole.
Manchester has been confirmed to host the G20 Summit in 2027 / Credit: 10 Downing Street | Paul Kagame (Flickr)
G20 members are also some of the UK’s closest economic partners, the Government insists.
17 of the UK’s top 20 global export markets attend the summit, as do 18 of the UK’s top 20 sources of foreign direct investment.
The presidency of the G20 is currently held by the US but will pass to the UK after the leaders’ summit hosted by the president at his Trump National Doral Miami golf resort in December.
The 2027 summit will be held at Manchester Central, it has been confirmed, and other locations across the UK will also host other G20 events as part of the year-long presidency, but these are yet to be announced.
The Manc -
5th July 2021 
