In a Downing Street press conference on Monday evening (14 June), the prime minister confirmed the government’s “roadmap to freedom” would be delayed from 21 June to 19 July.
The decision follows around 38,000 new coronavirus infections in England in the seven days to 9 June, according to Public Health England.
Johnson said the Delta variant had fuelled a surge in new Covid cases - growing by 64% per week and doubling in the worst affected areas.
He told the public it was “sensible to wait just a little longer” to end all restrictions.
