A lifting of lockdown restrictions will not go ahead as planned in England, the prime minister has announced, saying he needed to “react to the first signs of trouble”.
Boris Johnson said small wedding receptions must be postponed and the reopening of bowling alleys and casinos must be paused, with the prevalence of coronavirus “likely to be rising for the first time since May”.
Such venues and events had been due to restart in England from August 1 but must now be paused until August 15 “at the earliest”.
The prime minister also announced that face coverings are to be mandatory in indoor settings where people are likely to come into contact with people they do not know, such as museums and places of worship, from August 8.
Pilots sports events that would have had to have fans inside venues this weekend will also have to be abandoned.
But the reopening of Covid-secure work places should continue.
“We know that employers have gone to huge lengths to make workplaces safe so that guidance remains unchanged,” the prime minister said.
“It is safe to get into a Covid-secure workplace and people should understand that and that is our guidance.”
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