UK PM Boris Johnson while addressing a press conference in London said that the pandemic is far from over although he added that by July 19 every adult would have got their first vaccine dose.&nbsp;

The UK PM set out the final plan to ease restrictions with the country set to allow all businesses to reopen including nightclubs.

Watch:

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"There could be 50,000 cases detected per day by July 19 again," the UK PM cautioned while announcing that the one-metre social distancing rule will be withdrawn.

Citizens will no longer be asked to work from home with the vaccination drive for under-40s to be stepped up.

Britain on Monday recorded over 27,000 COVID-19 cases as the British Medical Association urged authorities to keep some restrictions in place due to a surge in coronavirus cases.

"Allowing community transmission to surge is like building new 'variant factories' at a very fast rate," University of London psychology professor, Susan Michie, said.

Johnson said the final decision will be taken on July 12. "We must reconcile ourselves sadly to more deaths from COVID-19," the prime minister said at the press conference while adding that a "balanced decision" needs to be taken.

The prime minister said the majority of those hospitalised&nbsp;recently were people who weren't vaccinated.

Johnson said people should take "personal responsibility" although there will be no legal obligation to wear a mask.

Johnson added that risks of not opening up now would be then to open in winter, "when the virus will have an advantage, or not at all this year."

The prime minister highlighted the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout while stating that over "45 million adults now having received the first dose. That is a higher proportion of the adult population of any European country except Malta."

(With inputs from Agencies)

UK PM Boris Johnson while addressing a press conference in London said that the pandemic is far from over although he added that by July 19 every adult would have got their first vaccine dose.

UK PM Boris Johnson while addressing a press conference in London said that the pandemic is far from over although he added that by July 19 every adult would have got their first vaccine dose. The UK PM set out the final plan to ease restrictions with the country set to allow all businesses to reopen including nightclubs. Watch: "There could be 50,000 cases detected per day by July 19 again," the UK PM cautioned while announcing that the one-metre social distancing rule will be withdrawn. Citizens will no longer be asked to work from home with the vaccination drive for under-40s to be stepped up. Britain on Monday recorded over 27,000 COVID-19 cases as the British Medical Association urged authorities to keep some restrictions in place due to a surge in coronavirus cases. "Allowing community transmission to surge is like building new 'variant factories' at a very fast rate," University of London psychology professor, Susan Michie, said. Johnson said the final decision will be taken on July 12. "We must reconcile ourselves sadly to more deaths from COVID-19," the prime minister said at the press conference while adding that a "balanced decision" needs to be taken. The prime minister said the majority of those hospitalised recently were people who weren't vaccinated. Johnson said people should take "personal responsibility" although there will be no legal obligation to wear a mask. Johnson added that risks of not opening up now would be then to open in winter, "when the virus will have an advantage, or not at all this year." The prime minister highlighted the effectiveness of the vaccine rollout while stating that over "45 million adults now having received the first dose. That is a higher proportion of the adult population of any European country except Malta." (With inputs from Agencies)

'Pandemic is far from over': PM Johnson unveils plan to ease virus curbs in England

After spending much of the winter in a tight lockdown, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-britain-aims-to-vaccinate-all-adults-by-july-end-365154">British</a> PM Boris Johnson is all set to announce a roadmap to ease lockdown measures in Parliament.

Watch:

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/britain-to-offer-all-adults-a-covid-19-vaccine-by-end-of-july-365229/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The "roadmap" falls under Johnson's accelerated plan to "cautiously" &nbsp;reopen the economy of the<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-reiterates-us-concerns-and-criticism-over-who-covid-19-mission-to-china-363563"> United Kingdom</a>.

The restrictions will be eased step-by-step across the whole of England at the same time. The first step of the roadmap will begin on March 8 which has been earmarked as the date when all pupils will be returning to classrooms with this, it will become the first section of society to reopen.

UK is the worst-hit country in Europe with over&nbsp;4.1 million coronavirus cases and 120, 810 deaths.

Indoor home care centres are also set to resume, including allowing residents to hold hands with visitors. The rules will also allow socialising in public space. After the Easter holidays, the second part of the first reopening phase will get kickstarted with focus on outdoor gatherings, families will be given more flexibility to meet outside with numbers to be capped at six.

The Johnson government also plans to reopen all outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts and golf course. The government has said it hopes to vaccinate all adults over the age of 50 by April 15.&nbsp;

The second phase of the reopening process will begin mid-April. The second phase will allow the reopening of some hospitality in limited circumstances which could include serving outdoors only.

Non-essential retail is expected to reopen in April with universities and colleges to be given green light to reopen campuses. In the middle of May, the third phase of the roadmap will start with pubs and restaurants likely open shutters indoors with curbs on a number of people. In this phase, it is also most likely to be the time that hairdressers and beauticians will be allowed reopen their shops though there may be further restrictions on very close contact treatments.

The families might also get permission to travel for short trips within the UK boundaries and from June indoor social gathering might be allowed with further relaxation of social contact.

Health secretary, Matt Hancock has said he is optimistic about summer holidays being permitted in the UK. From June the tourism sector could reopen. The authorities have ensured that the gradual reopening process will go hand in hand with the number of coronavirus cases and the simultaneous inoculation drive.

The Johnson government has laid emphasis on reducing hospitalisations and deaths and the successful continuation of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britain-vows-to-share-vaccines-with-poor-nations-as-g-7-meets-364793">vaccine</a> deployment program.

The NHS has said that they will need to ensure that assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new "variants of concern". A blueprint would seek to balance the health needs with the social and economic impacts of lockdown.

The number of new confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths have been declining in February but remain high&nbsp;and the Johnson government says his reopening roadmap will follow “data, not dates".

After spending much of the winter in a tight lockdown, British PM Boris Johnson is all set to announce a roadmap to ease lockdown measures in Parliament. Watch: The "roadmap" falls under Johnson's accelerated plan to "cautiously" reopen the economy of the United Kingdom.

After spending much of the winter in a tight lockdown, British PM Boris Johnson is all set to announce a roadmap to ease lockdown measures in Parliament. Watch: The "roadmap" falls under Johnson's accelerated plan to "cautiously" reopen the economy of the United Kingdom. The restrictions will be eased step-by-step across the whole of England at the same time. The first step of the roadmap will begin on March 8 which has been earmarked as the date when all pupils will be returning to classrooms with this, it will become the first section of society to reopen. UK is the worst-hit country in Europe with over 4.1 million coronavirus cases and 120, 810 deaths. Indoor home care centres are also set to resume, including allowing residents to hold hands with visitors. The rules will also allow socialising in public space. After the Easter holidays, the second part of the first reopening phase will get kickstarted with focus on outdoor gatherings, families will be given more flexibility to meet outside with numbers to be capped at six. The Johnson government also plans to reopen all outdoor sports facilities such as tennis or basketball courts and golf course. The government has said it hopes to vaccinate all adults over the age of 50 by April 15. The second phase of the reopening process will begin mid-April. The second phase will allow the reopening of some hospitality in limited circumstances which could include serving outdoors only. Non-essential retail is expected to reopen in April with universities and colleges to be given green light to reopen campuses. In the middle of May, the third phase of the roadmap will start with pubs and restaurants likely open shutters indoors with curbs on a number of people. In this phase, it is also most likely to be the time that hairdressers and beauticians will be allowed reopen their shops though there may be further restrictions on very close contact treatments. The families might also get permission to travel for short trips within the UK boundaries and from June indoor social gathering might be allowed with further relaxation of social contact. Health secretary, Matt Hancock has said he is optimistic about summer holidays being permitted in the UK. From June the tourism sector could reopen. The authorities have ensured that the gradual reopening process will go hand in hand with the number of coronavirus cases and the simultaneous inoculation drive. The Johnson government has laid emphasis on reducing hospitalisations and deaths and the successful continuation of the vaccine deployment program. The NHS has said that they will need to ensure that assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new "variants of concern". A blueprint would seek to balance the health needs with the social and economic impacts of lockdown. The number of new confirmed cases, hospitalizations and deaths have been declining in February but remain high and the Johnson government says his reopening roadmap will follow “data, not dates".

UK set to ease lockdown amid accelerating vaccine rollout

Amid rising coronavirus cases,&nbsp;England will go back into a full national coronavirus lockdown, with schools closed and people required to stay at home until at least mid-February. On the other hand, North Korea has submitted the application with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations(GAVI).

Click on headlines to read more 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/after-months-of-claiming-to-have-no-cases-north-korea-requests-covid-vaccine-354496">After months of claiming to have no cases, North Korea requests Covid vaccine</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/10/06/163281-untitled-design-65.jpg?itok=5LBXeGDa" />

North Korea was among a group of developing countries that requested shipments of COVID-19 vaccines, despite declaring itself free of the virus, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/england-goes-into-lockdown-again-as-new-coronavirus-strain-cases-surge-354484">England goes into lockdown again as new coronavirus strain cases surge</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2020/10/02/162812-london-city.jpg?itok=ZcaEvCP3" />

Nearly 56 million people in England will return to a full coronavirus lockdown, possibly until mid-February, to try to cut spiralling infection rates, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/nuclear-extortion-us-denounces-irans-plan-to-step-up-uranium-enrichment-354488">'Nuclear extortion': US denounces Iran's plan to step up uranium enrichment</a> 
 
<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2019/12/04/118810-untitled-design.jpg?itok=nDvhYE_E" />

The United States on Monday denounced Iran's plan to step up uranium enrichment as "nuclear extortion," breaching a 2015 nuclear pact with major powers and possibly complicating efforts by US President-elect Joe Biden to rejoin the deal. 
&nbsp;

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Amid rising coronavirus cases, England will go back into a full national coronavirus lockdown, with schools closed and people required to stay at home until at least mid-February.

Amid rising coronavirus cases, England will go back into a full national coronavirus lockdown, with schools closed and people required to stay at home until at least mid-February. On the other hand, North Korea has submitted the application with the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations(GAVI). Click on headlines to read more After months of claiming to have no cases, North Korea requests Covid vaccine North Korea was among a group of developing countries that requested shipments of COVID-19 vaccines, despite declaring itself free of the virus, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday. England goes into lockdown again as new coronavirus strain cases surge Nearly 56 million people in England will return to a full coronavirus lockdown, possibly until mid-February, to try to cut spiralling infection rates, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday. 'Nuclear extortion': US denounces Iran's plan to step up uranium enrichment The United States on Monday denounced Iran's plan to step up uranium enrichment as "nuclear extortion," breaching a 2015 nuclear pact with major powers and possibly complicating efforts by US President-elect Joe Biden to rejoin the deal.

Morning news brief: UK goes into lockdown, North Korea requests vaccine, and more

LONDON — Britain’s desperate attempt to curb a second wave of the coronavirus has exposed multiple fractures in its politics and society, but perhaps none as jagged as that between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the mayor of Greater Manchester, the country’s second-largest urban area.

For days, the mayor, Andy Burnham, has been engaged in a war of words with Johnson and his ministers over the government’s plan to elevate hard-hit Manchester to the highest level of restrictions. That would shut down pubs, bars and gyms and forbid all socializing by people from different households.

Burnham says that the restrictions would devastate the city’s economy, and that the central government has not offered adequate financial aid to the people who would lose their jobs during the lockdown. He has been a nearly ubiquitous presence on television, waging a fierce rebellion on behalf of his 2.8 million constituents.

“People can’t just be pressurized into it,” Burnham said of the new restrictions, to Sky News on Monday. “I’m not going to be pressurized into it. And I’m not just going to kind of roll over at the sight of a check.”

Burnham’s resistance is rooted in the long-held grievances of people in the old industrial cities of the north of England toward the politically dominant government sitting in London. While it has delegated some powers to regional authorities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Westminster government retains highly centralized control over England and its major urban centers.

But the standoff between Manchester and London also reflects mounting frustration with Johnson’s erratic, often opaque handling of the pandemic, as well as a dash of ambition and old-fashioned political manoeuvring.

Burnham, a 50-year-old native of Liverpool, is a Labour Party stalwart who twice ran unsuccessfully for party leader. Having served as health secretary under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he traded in his seat in the opposition in 2016 to run for mayor of Greater Manchester, a newly created post. He is responsible for a far-flung metropolitan region, though he has less power than big-city mayors in the United States.

“With his limited powers, Andy Burnham is taking advantage of his legitimacy,” said Tony Travers, an expert in urban affairs at the London School of Economics. “He has clearly sensed that the central government is weak.”

Burnham’s clash with London carries echoes of the ill will between President Donald Trump and Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City. As with them, much of the dispute comes down to complaints over a lack of financial support. But de Blasio has considerably more power than Burnham, who has little control over budgetary matters and must obtain the consent of council leaders for many decisions.

What Burnham does have is an antenna for national politics — and for the fact that Johnson won a landslide victory in the election last year by promising to close the economic gap between England’s more prosperous south and the struggling regions of the Midlands and the north. That message lured many traditional Labour voters to the Conservative Party, shattering Labour’s vaunted “red wall.”

Johnson, analysts said, could easily alienate those voters if he foists an economically ruinous lockdown on them.

“There is a sense,” Travers said, “that people in Greater Manchester are having things done to them by a distant government.”

Burnham has complained of being cut out of the deliberations over when to impose the heightened restrictions, saying he often learns of decisions from press reports attributed to unnamed Downing Street officials. And he says the government does not share the epidemiological data that is driving its decisions, which makes it impossible to judge whether a lockdown is necessary in one place but not another.

There is no debate that Manchester was hit hard by the resurgence of the virus at the end of the summer, in part because of its large student population. Its current rate of infection is 432 cases per 100,000 people, well above the national average. But its rate of cases has declined from a peak of 583 per 100,000 in the seven days before Oct. 3.

Government officials said that infections were continuing to rise there among vulnerable older people, and that based on current projections, intensive care units at hospitals in Greater Manchester would reach capacity by Nov. 8. The supply of hospital beds, officials said, is a more relevant barometer than cases.

Johnson’s aides are frustrated by Burnham’s resistance, which some view as cynical posturing. On Sunday, Michael Gove, a senior cabinet minister who holds the title of chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, urged the mayor and his allies to “put aside for a moment some of the political positioning they’ve indulged in.”

But while the government has the power to impose health requirements on any city in England, Johnson has been reluctant to do it over the objections of the mayors. Public adherence to the rules depends in no small part on how faithfully the local authorities enforce them.

As the talks between Manchester and London dragged on Monday, the government began separate negotiations with officials in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire about elevating those regions to so-called Tier 3 status. Wales, which controls its own health policy under the terms of the United Kingdom’s limited self-government, plans to impose a temporary lockdown on the entire region.

All told, Britain reported 18,804 new cases Monday, and 80 deaths.

Before elevating Liverpool to the highest-risk category, Johnson struck an agreement with Steve Rotheram, the Labour mayor of the Liverpool city region. The prime minister hailed that deal as an example of bipartisan cooperation, and clearly hoped it would be a template for other cities.

Burnham, however, is demanding that the government pay 80% of the wages of people who lose their jobs because of the lockdown — the same compensation it offered in the national wage subsidy program that it is winding down this month. So far, the government has offered to offset two-thirds of lost wages.

Burnham has called on Johnson and the Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, to hold a vote in Parliament on the financial aid that the government should offer cities placed under the highest level of lockdown. But Johnson, who has kept control over the pandemic response tightly in Downing Street, rejected that.

“Establishing clear national entitlements of the kind we had during the first lockdown,” Burnham said, “will create a sense of fairness, which in turn would help build public support for, and compliance with, any new restrictions.”

LONDON — Britain’s desperate attempt to curb a second wave of the coronavirus has exposed multiple fractures in its politics and society, but perhaps none as jagged as that between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the mayor of Greater Manchester, the country’s second-largest urban area.

LONDON — Britain’s desperate attempt to curb a second wave of the coronavirus has exposed multiple fractures in its politics and society, but perhaps none as jagged as that between Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the mayor of Greater Manchester, the country’s second-largest urban area. For days, the mayor, Andy Burnham, has been engaged in a war of words with Johnson and his ministers over the government’s plan to elevate hard-hit Manchester to the highest level of restrictions. That would shut down pubs, bars and gyms and forbid all socializing by people from different households. Burnham says that the restrictions would devastate the city’s economy, and that the central government has not offered adequate financial aid to the people who would lose their jobs during the lockdown. He has been a nearly ubiquitous presence on television, waging a fierce rebellion on behalf of his 2.8 million constituents. “People can’t just be pressurized into it,” Burnham said of the new restrictions, to Sky News on Monday. “I’m not going to be pressurized into it. And I’m not just going to kind of roll over at the sight of a check.” Burnham’s resistance is rooted in the long-held grievances of people in the old industrial cities of the north of England toward the politically dominant government sitting in London. While it has delegated some powers to regional authorities in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, the Westminster government retains highly centralized control over England and its major urban centers. But the standoff between Manchester and London also reflects mounting frustration with Johnson’s erratic, often opaque handling of the pandemic, as well as a dash of ambition and old-fashioned political manoeuvring. Burnham, a 50-year-old native of Liverpool, is a Labour Party stalwart who twice ran unsuccessfully for party leader. Having served as health secretary under Prime Minister Gordon Brown, he traded in his seat in the opposition in 2016 to run for mayor of Greater Manchester, a newly created post. He is responsible for a far-flung metropolitan region, though he has less power than big-city mayors in the United States. “With his limited powers, Andy Burnham is taking advantage of his legitimacy,” said Tony Travers, an expert in urban affairs at the London School of Economics. “He has clearly sensed that the central government is weak.” Burnham’s clash with London carries echoes of the ill will between President Donald Trump and Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York City. As with them, much of the dispute comes down to complaints over a lack of financial support. But de Blasio has considerably more power than Burnham, who has little control over budgetary matters and must obtain the consent of council leaders for many decisions. What Burnham does have is an antenna for national politics — and for the fact that Johnson won a landslide victory in the election last year by promising to close the economic gap between England’s more prosperous south and the struggling regions of the Midlands and the north. That message lured many traditional Labour voters to the Conservative Party, shattering Labour’s vaunted “red wall.” Johnson, analysts said, could easily alienate those voters if he foists an economically ruinous lockdown on them. “There is a sense,” Travers said, “that people in Greater Manchester are having things done to them by a distant government.” Burnham has complained of being cut out of the deliberations over when to impose the heightened restrictions, saying he often learns of decisions from press reports attributed to unnamed Downing Street officials. And he says the government does not share the epidemiological data that is driving its decisions, which makes it impossible to judge whether a lockdown is necessary in one place but not another. There is no debate that Manchester was hit hard by the resurgence of the virus at the end of the summer, in part because of its large student population. Its current rate of infection is 432 cases per 100,000 people, well above the national average. But its rate of cases has declined from a peak of 583 per 100,000 in the seven days before Oct. 3. Government officials said that infections were continuing to rise there among vulnerable older people, and that based on current projections, intensive care units at hospitals in Greater Manchester would reach capacity by Nov. 8. The supply of hospital beds, officials said, is a more relevant barometer than cases. Johnson’s aides are frustrated by Burnham’s resistance, which some view as cynical posturing. On Sunday, Michael Gove, a senior cabinet minister who holds the title of chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, urged the mayor and his allies to “put aside for a moment some of the political positioning they’ve indulged in.” But while the government has the power to impose health requirements on any city in England, Johnson has been reluctant to do it over the objections of the mayors. Public adherence to the rules depends in no small part on how faithfully the local authorities enforce them. As the talks between Manchester and London dragged on Monday, the government began separate negotiations with officials in South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and Nottinghamshire about elevating those regions to so-called Tier 3 status. Wales, which controls its own health policy under the terms of the United Kingdom’s limited self-government, plans to impose a temporary lockdown on the entire region. All told, Britain reported 18,804 new cases Monday, and 80 deaths. Before elevating Liverpool to the highest-risk category, Johnson struck an agreement with Steve Rotheram, the Labour mayor of the Liverpool city region. The prime minister hailed that deal as an example of bipartisan cooperation, and clearly hoped it would be a template for other cities. Burnham, however, is demanding that the government pay 80% of the wages of people who lose their jobs because of the lockdown — the same compensation it offered in the national wage subsidy program that it is winding down this month. So far, the government has offered to offset two-thirds of lost wages. Burnham has called on Johnson and the Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, to hold a vote in Parliament on the financial aid that the government should offer cities placed under the highest level of lockdown. But Johnson, who has kept control over the pandemic response tightly in Downing Street, rejected that. “Establishing clear national entitlements of the kind we had during the first lockdown,” Burnham said, “will create a sense of fairness, which in turn would help build public support for, and compliance with, any new restrictions.”

As Britain edges toward lockdowns, long-held grievances flare up