The end of mandatory social distancing and facial coverings?

Some wonderful news could be about to land. The English government plans to end the mandatory wearing of face coverings and remove social distancing from July 19th to coincide with the lifting of lockdown restrictions, the Guardian reported.

Still ‘following the science’, top figureheads in the field, Chris Witty and Patrick Vallance, are reportedly supporting the decision. 

However, a stark warning remains as the belief that the NHS will come under pressure in the Winter months from a new wave of infection is strong. 

Guidelines suggest that facial coverings will still be required in high-risk areas such as public transport. However, a ministerial source advised that “Any advice on masks is likely to be guided rather than regulations.” 

Top National Health experts have raised concerns that lifting the restrictions could lead to an expansive rise in cases causing vital surgeries and care to be cancelled. 

On Saturday, July 3rd, 24,447 new COVID infections were recorded. However, hospitalisations and deaths are not spiking in the way they did during the previous wave and offer evidence that the chain between cases and hospitalisation has broken. 

A spokesperson for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the vaccination programme is as effective as expected at preventing an overload in hospital admissions, saying: 

“I think it’s important to make the point about where we are in this battle against this epidemic. It is due to our ongoing success of the vaccine programme and wider mitigations that we are in a position that, despite having a significant increase in cases, is not feeding through into big rises in hospitalisations and death.” 

One Whitehall insider also said the option of COVID certification or passports is ‘being considered’ to keep events on the schedule throughout the winter period.