UK prime minister Boris Johnson has said that the rising number
of cases of the Delta variant of Covid in the UK means that it will be a “difficult
year for travel”, despite indications that the easing of lockdown will take place in July.
Speaking during a visit to a laboratory in Potters Bar in
Hertfordshire today, Johnson said: “It still looks to me like 19 July is a terminus point.
Almost 60 per cent of adults in this country have now had or been offered two jabs;
we are one of the most vaccinated countries in the world. But if you look at cases of the Delta variant, it is sadly going up still, by 30 per cent a
week in the number of cases, hospitalisations up by roughly the same amount and so, sadly, are cases
going into intensive care. We have got to be cautious.
“Whatever happens this will be a difficult year for travel. There will be
hassle and there will be delays I am afraid. The priority has got to be to keep
the country safe and stop the virus coming back in.
“The most important thing is that we continue cautiously but
irreversibly to unlock to get our economy moving again.”
The government is due to review is traffic-light system for travel on 28 June.