‘Good chance’ social distancing can end next month, PM says, as UK gives out 50m jabs

There is a “good chance” that one-metre plus Covid-19 social distancing measures could be dropped as soon as next month, Boris Johnson said on Monday.

However, any final decision on whether or not to bring about the rule change starting on 21 June will depend on the data, he said.

Mr Johnson also announced that the country had passed the milestone of delivering 50 million coronavirus jabs, with a “quarter of the adult population” receiving doses of the coronavirus vaccine.

At the same time, the prime minister also prepared holidaymakers for disappointment as he warned that lifting coronavirus travel restrictions too quickly could bring an “influx of disease” to the UK.

While the PM said that “some opening up” was likely starting later this month, he said the government would be “cautious” about the number of countries that make the UK’s quarantine-free “green list”.

The full list is expected to be revealed at the end of this week ahead of an expected lifting of travel restrictions on 17 May.

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