Thread by @Telegraph

🚨Boris Johnson is to delay the easing of lockdown as Covid cases surge

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The PM says the Delta variant is "spreading faster than the third wave predicted" in the recovery roadmap.

"We can give the NHS a few more crucial weeks to get those few remaining jabs into the arms of those who need them...I think it is sensible to wait just a little longer"

"To give the NHS that extra time we will hold off step 4 openings until July 19, except for weddings that can still go ahead with more than 30 guests...and we will continue to pilot events such as Euro 2020 and some theatrical performances," Johnson says

The Government have brought forward their target of offering a first dose to every adult to July 19.

The PM says: "Now is the time to ease off the accelerator. By being cautious now we have the chance over the next four weeks to save many thousands of lives"

Professor Chris Whitty says there is an 85-98% reduction in hospitalisations after two doses, which he describes as "very substantial"

Whitty says there has been a 64% increase in cases in England since last week.

The link between infection and hospitalisation has been "substantially weakened" but "not completely stopped."

A 50% increase in hospitalisations across the country has been seen in the last week

23-24 year olds will be able to book their jab appointment as soon as tomorrow, Boris Johnson says.

By July 19, all adults will have had a first dose, he continues.

"We would expect everybody of university age will have had one dose by the start of next term," Whitty adds

On weddings, Boris Johnson says that they "can go ahead with more than 30 people" from June 21, "providing social distancing is observed."

The PM apologises for the disappointment this will cause but says the four-week delay will be "worth it"

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Asked whether he can rule out further restrictions, he says:

"By July 19 we do think we will have built up a very considerable wall of immunity among the general population...That of course does not exclude the possibility that there is a new variant that is far more dangerous"

Mr Johnson says:

"We're not going backwards...The June 21 date was always a 'not before' date'...but looking at the data I can see now, the scale of the vaccine rollout, I'm pretty confident that July 19 will be a terminus date"

On furlough, Mr Johnson says:

"We always made sure the furlough scheme would continue until September...on the basis of what we can see now in the data, on the basis of the vaccine effectiveness we can see now, we don't think we will need to change that"

Sir Patrick Vallance says the vaccines are "not 100% effective and therefore avoiding a very large peak is very important."

He adds this is also why it is important that young people need to get vaccinated

Whitty says the vaccination take-up rates in London are higher than "any country could dream of at this point," but that they need to increase in other major cities in the UK.

He says we need to "concentrate on those areas where rates are lower"

Johnson adds:

"I am acutely conscious that it's not just that nightclubs can't go ahead and the theatre industry. There are many businesses that need to move beyond social distancing, many jobs where we need to be able to do things in the way where we always used to do them"

The press conference ends with the PM saying:

"We want a roadmap that is irreversible and to achieve an irreversible roadmap you have to be cautious.The objective of this short delay is to use these crucial weeks to save thousands of lives, of lives that would otherwise be lost"