LONDON – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said the UK will start easing more public health restrictions next week and will be on track to reopen its economy by the summer, after months of locks and a rapid vaccination campaign a deadly tide of infection.
The changing fortunes of the UK contrast with a deteriorating picture in other parts of Europe, where increasing consequences and shaky vaccination of vaccines mean that governments are under pressure to tighten controls to defeat an emerging pandemic.
France introduced a new nationwide exclusion last week, while Chancellor Angela Merkel is pushing for strong regional governments to introduce stricter measures to combat infections.
Johnson said the situation in neighboring countries meant the UK could not be complacent as he confirmed that England would move to the second phase of a reopening plan in four steps from 12 April. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are setting their own health policies and moving in a similar direction.
“We can see the waves of disease hitting other countries, and we’ve seen this story unfold,” he told a news conference. He encouraged the British to be vaccinated, keep the social distance and limit travel.