‘Masking for trouble’: what the papers say about Johnson lifting Covid restrictions
Boris Johnson’s announcement that most coronavirus restrictions will be lifted from 19 July – while acknowledging that new cases could reach 50,000 a day before then – dominates today’s front pages.
The Guardian’s top story, under the headline “Johnson sweeps away lockdown restrictions in Covid-19 gamble”, focuses on the PM raising the possibility of reintroducing restrictions in the autumn, warning the public not to go “de-mob happy” and saying “we will be helped by the arrival of summer and by the school holidays”.
The FT’s headline is “Johnson brushes aside warnings over lifting of Covid restrictions” on a story including the response from the Labour leader, Keir Starmer, accusing Johnson of being “reckless” and a lesson from Israel which “reintroduced a requirement to wear masks indoors after a rise in cases – just days after lifting the measure”. It calls the lifting of compulsory mask wearing a “totemic move for lockdown-sceptic Tory MPs”.
The i includes advice from scientists and city mayors among its front page bullet points, under the headline “Double jabs push as masks rule is lifted”. Among the points are “Scientists urge public to keep wearing face masks in crowded, indoor spaces” and “City mayors say face coverings should remain compulsory on public transport otherwise it will be ‘loss of freedom day’ for other people”.
The Times, Daily Telegraph, Daily Mail and Daily Express concentrate on Johnson saying: “We must be honest with ourselves that if we can’t reopen our society in the next few weeks … we must ask ourselves: when will we be able to return to normal?”
“Now is the right time to end Covid rules, declares Johnson” is the Times’ headline, with the front page also carrying an analysis piece under the title, “And with this, Britain’s great gamble begins”. The piece focuses on the numbers: “Yesterday, 27,000 cases were reported. This was double the figure of ten days ago, and half the number of cases expected [by July 19]. We are opening up just as we are riding a huge wave.”
But, it argues, “Three other figures were announced on that dashboard, though, that explain why opening up can be countenanced. Yesterday the proportion of the adult population double vaccinated hit 64%. As if to demonstrate exactly what that means, the number of patients admitted to hospital was, despite that 27,000, only 358. In late December, when case numbers were the same, it was 2,200.”
The Daily Telegraph writes in its main story: “The decision to announce a return to individual responsibility over state intervention signals a change in government approach to the pandemic and comes just 10 days after the departure of Matt Hancock, the former health secretary.”
The Daily Express has a more roundly positive take, with “Boris: It’s now or never … but don’t be demob happy” and the strap “Prime Minister reveals ‘balanced and cautious’ plan for safe return to freedom”.
The Daily Mail is mostly jubilant, with the headline “Freedom at last as PM declares it’s now or never” and the three subtitles: “Britain (almost) back to normal on July 19 ‘big bang’”; “Boris defies gloomy scientists – and Starmer”; and “But confusion on masks, holidays and home working”.
The Metro says Johnson is “rolling the dice”.
Pun of the day goes to the Mirror, with “Masking for trouble”.
Johnson’s announcement also makes headlines outside the UK. Le Monde’s story is titled: “The Delta Variant? Have no fear …” It goes on to say: too bad if 27,334 coronavirus cases – more than 90% of which are the Delta variant – were recorded in the last 24 hours.
The subheading on the New York Times story is: “Critics dismissed as ‘absolutely ridiculous’ the idea that people will continue to wear masks voluntarily on trains and in crowded indoor spaces”.