UK PM rules out fresh Covid-19 lockdown

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said yesterday a new Covid-19 lockdown is not on the cards, as advisers warned that acting early with lighter measures to cut rising case numbers would reduce the need for tougher restrictions later.

Johnson’s government has said there is no need yet to introduce a “Plan B” involving mask mandates, work-from-home orders and vaccine passports, though such measures could be introduced if more people do not come forward for Covid-19 vaccines and booster shots.

Johnson scrapped England’s Covid restrictions in the summer, and he said that, while case numbers were rising, the trend was in line with what was expected. He said earlier that the widespread deployment of vaccines this year means that the link between cases and deaths has been disrupted, in contrast with earlier stages of the pandemic. Asked yesterday about the possibility of another lockdown over winter, the Conservative prime minister said: “I’ve got to tell you at the moment that we see absolutely nothing to indicate that that is on the cards at all.” While Johnson has scrapped the legal requirement to wear masks, he said they should still be worn in confined spaces, especially when meeting strangers.