UK to Fully Lift COVID-19 Restrictions on 19th as Scheduled... "Masks Also Optional"

High Vaccination Rate Leads to... Mask Wearing and Social Distancing Guidelines Lifted Despite Delta Variant

Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom [Photo by Reuters]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] The United Kingdom will lift all COVID-19 related restrictions, including the mandatory wearing of masks, on the 19th. Despite a surge in cases due to the spread of the Delta variant, the government plans to end the phased lockdown measures as scheduled.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce this plan on the 4th (local time), according to local media such as The Telegraph and The Times. Since March, the UK has been easing lockdown measures in four stages.

Accordingly, mask-wearing in all spaces will be left to individual choice, and the guideline to maintain a distance of more than 1 meter will be abolished. There will also be no need to scan QR codes when entering pubs, restaurants, hair salons, gyms, museums, and other venues.

The UK plans to shift COVID-19 prevention rules to the realm of personal responsibility. Robert Jenrick, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, said on Sky News that "we are moving towards a stage without legal sanctions" and "we will now learn how to live with COVID-19."

When asked what he would do once the mask mandate disappears, Secretary Jenrick replied, "I personally do not want to wear a mask."

The UK government had originally planned to lift all COVID-19 related restrictions on the 21st of last month, calling it 'Freedom Day,' but postponed it by about a month due to the spread of the Delta variant.

The reason the UK is pushing for lifting restrictions despite the surge in cases is due to the high vaccination rate. So far, the first-dose vaccination rate is 85.95%, and the full vaccination rate is 63.82%.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.