UK's Johnson voices optimism over lockdown easing route

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday that there is a “good chance” that social distancing rules in England will be scrapped on June 21 if coronavirus infections and deaths stay low.

Johnson told reporters in the north England town of Hartlepool where he is campaigning before a special election on Thursday that the government's lockdown easing plans remains on course as a result of a sharp fall in new coronavirus infections and the rapid rollout of vaccines.

On Monday, the National Health Service delivered its 50 millionth vaccine, with around 52% of the British population having received at least one dose and around a quarter having received two jabs.

“You are seeing the results of that really starting to show up in the epidemiology," Johnson said.

Under its road map to ease restrictions which Johnson insists is dependent on “data not dates,” the government is set to lift further restrictions on May 17, such as allowing people to go inside a pub and restaurant and to allow some foreign travel.

On June 21, all other legal limits on social contact potentially lifted, including the rule that requires people to be at least one meter away from anyone outside their household provided other protective measures are in place, such as mask-wearing or meeting outdoors. This is known as the “one-meter plus” rule.

Johnson said there is “a good chance” that the one-meter plus rule will be ditched from June 21.

“That is still dependent on the data, we can’t say it categorically yet, we have got to look at the epidemiology as we progress, we have got to look at where we get to with the disease," he said. "But that’s what it feels like to me right now.”

Getting rid of the one-meter plus rule would change the financial dynamics for Britain's hospitality...