Prime Minister 'confident' lockdown restrictions will end on July 19

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said he is confident enough to go ahead with relaxing a majority of coronavirus restrictions later this month and the news has been welcomed by Coun Owen Brierley, leader of the district council.

He said: “I am excited to hear that we are on course at this time to return to a real sense of normality on Monday, July 19.

"This will mean so much to many people within our district, including residents and businesses who have been looking forward to this date for some time.

“Though we are about to re-gain most of our freedoms, it should be remembered that this is not the end of the pandemic, but instead a way of learning to live with it.

"We should still take care, be cautious, and look after each other as we have throughout the past 15 months.

"I have every confidence that the people of West Lindsey will do just that."

And Gainsborough MP, Sir Edward Leigh, said: “I warmly welcome the scheduled relaxation of restrictions.

"The vaccine rollout has been a tremendous success and we seem to have the virus under control, particularly here in Lincolnshire.

"We need to focus now on repairing the damage that has been done and getting our society and our economy back into shape.”

During a press conference on Monday July 5, Mr Johnson said people would have to learn to live with the virus like the flu.

“Our expectation remains that by July, 19, every adult will have had the chance to receive a first dose, and two thirds will have received their second dose.

“We have to balance the risks of the disease, which the vaccines have reduced but very far from eliminated, and the risks of continuing with legally enforced restrictions that inevitably take their toll on people’s lives and livelihoods, on people’s health and mental health.

“We must be honest with ourselves that if we can’t reopen our society in the next few weeks – when we will be helped by the arrival of summer, and by the school holidays – then we must ask ourselves, when will we be able to return to normal?”