LONDON – British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says Britain will begin easing more public health restrictions from next week and remains on track to fully reopen its economy by summer, after months of deadlock and a rapid vaccination campaign. turned back a deadly wave of infection.
The UK’s changing fortunes contrast with a deteriorating picture in other parts of Europe, where the growing number of cases and hesitant vaccine launches mean that governments are under pressure to tighten controls to remove a revived pandemic.
France imposed a new national blockade last week, while in Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel is pushing strong regional governments to implement tougher measures to reduce infections.
Mr Johnson said the situation in neighboring countries meant that Britain could not be satisfied, as he confirmed that from April 12 England would move to the second stage of a four-step reopening plan. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have set their own health policies and are moving in a similar direction.
“We can see the waves of disease affecting other countries and we have seen how this story goes,” he told a news conference. He urged the British to get vaccinated, to continue to practice social distance and to limit travel.