England to lift all COVID-19 restrictions on July 19, including venue capacity limitations
England will formally lift venue restrictions on July 19, as well as social distancing and mask wearing restrictions, according to Prime Minister Boris Johnson. The announcement allows for the return of full-capacity live shows and outdoor music festivals, providing the green light for Creamfields, which will host deadmau5, MK, Alesso, and more. The dual-site Reading and Leeds will also be able to go ahead this summer.
Johnson’s call for UK to reopen comes after data that 64% of the country’s adult population has received both doses of approved two-dose vaccines, while 86% of adults have had at least their first shot. Johnson said in a press conference,
“To those who say we should delay again, the alternative to that is to open in winter, when the virus will have an advantage, or not at all this year.”
The development follows Johnson’s June call to delay the UK’s reopening by a month based on statistical models that suggested that thousands more people might die if the country did not push back its plan to lift all COVID-19 limitations.
Via: NPR
Featured image: Xavi Torrent/Redferns
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