On Monday the Government confirmed that most Covid guidance and legal restrictions will be lifted in England on 19 July.

The Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government’s “four tests” had been met including a successful vaccination rollout, evidence that the vaccines are reducing hospitalisations and deaths, that infection rates are not creating unsustainable pressure on the NHS and that the vaccines are successfully working with the new Covid 19 variants.

Commenting Andrew Mitchell MP said:

“I welcome the Government’s decision to continue to ease the Covid 19 restrictions in line with our roadmap. It is clear that we will need to learn to live with Covid and as Chris Whitty and others have outlined, continuing the restrictions beyond July 19 is unlikely to reduce the number of Covid deaths and could potentially lead to a worse peak in the winter months.

“Our vaccination programme means that over 87% of adults have now received their first dose and over 66% of people have received two doses. The hospitalisation rate remains low for those that have received two doses of a Covid 19 vaccine.

“I have been deeply worried about the impact of the restrictions on mental health and our economy and I hope that easing the restrictions further will ensure that we can start to get back to normal and support our economy as we begin our Covid 19 recovery. From speaking to a wide range of businesses across the Royal Town, I appreciate how deeply challenging the last 18 months have been for many of our local businesses.

“I know that some people remain worried about Covid 19 and wish to see some of the measures kept in place. We do still have international travel restrictions and it remains the case that we are recommended to wear face coverings (unless exempt) in crowded public settings. Our testing capabilities will remain in place to ensure that we can closely monitor case numbers and track any further emerging variants. A review will take place in September to assess how prepared the country is for autumn and winter.

“Ultimately, I believe that we are now in a position where we can use our own judgement and common sense and I support this approach rather than continuing legal diktat.”