Thread by @TheEconomist

England has ended all social restrictions. But the country is confronted with a large new wave of covid-19 infections. Thread 👇

Analysis by The Economist finds that in recent months the link between covid-19 cases and subsequent hospitalisation and death in England has weakened—but not entirely broken econ.st/3zfvpmY

Official cases in England per head of population are the sixth highest in the world and infections are doubling every six days econ.st/3zfvpmY

But restrictions such as mask-wearing and social distancing are no longer mandatory econ.st/3zfvpmY

Face-masks help reduce the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes covid-19 econ.st/3x4Txrj

This is because masks cut the number of infectious particles entering the nose and mouth, which helps the clinically vulnerable econ.st/3x4Txrj

“The issue with face masks here is that the government is sending two very different messages.”

@natashaloder tells @kncukier why removing the legal requirement in England for face coverings may be a risky policy. Listen to “Babbage” econ.st/3xUTbo1

Polling by Ipsos MORI for The Economist suggests two-thirds of British people think masks, social distancing and travel restrictions should continue for another month econ.st/3kC5Rwt

The British government certainly thinks it is possible to relax restrictions without incurring lots more deaths and overwhelming the NHS econ.st/3Bnb8Om

Around 95% of Britons over 65 have been vaccinated, but faced with a wave of the more transmissible Delta variant, the country's vaccination strategy is being put to the test econ.st/3zkIE6a