UK May Delay Lockdown End as COVID Cases Rise

Hold onto your masks, folks – England’s big June 21 lockdown exit might get postponed! UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock dropped the news this weekend, saying officials are ready to hit pause on lifting restrictions if needed.

Why the Delay?

While over 40 million Brits have gotten at least one vaccine dose (shoutout to science!), COVID cases jumped 46% last week – adding 31,000+ new infections. Officials are sweating the Delta variant (first spotted in India), which spreads faster than a TikTok trend.

Vaccine Progress vs. Variant Threat

The UK’s roadmap since March has been smoother than a Netflix binge-watch, but rising cases could mean more cliffhangers. Hancock told the BBC: \"We’ll delay June 21 if that’s what needs to happen.\" Cue the collective groan.

Experts say the next two weeks are crunch time. Will vaccines keep hospitalizations low enough to reopen? Or will the Delta variant crash the party? Stay tuned – this season of *Pandemic Life* isn’t over yet.

Reference(s):

England's Covid-19 restrictions could be extended: UK health minister

cgtn.com