Vaccine minister ‘cautiously optimistic’ on 21 June lockdown exit date

MP urges government to give ‘hope and certainty’ to businesses waiting for end of restrictions

Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi has said he remains “cautiously optimistic” about the prospect of lifting coronavirus restrictions on 21 June, despite concerns about the spread of the Indian variant of Covid-19.

Mr Zahawi was asked on Monday about whether it was likely that all legal restrictions and social distancing would come to an end next month.

Conservative MP Greg Smith urged the minister to give “hope and certainty” to businesses hoping for a successful summer of trading without Covid rules.

Mr Zahawi responded by noting there had been “good news” from a Public Health England study that showed vaccines were effective against the B1617.2 variant (also known as the Indian variant) after two doses.

“Ultimately we are effectively pursuing an evidence-led strategy – the reason for the five-week interval is for us to be able to assess the data and then share it with parliament and the nation,” the minister told the Commons.

“At the moment, I would say I am cautiously optimistic that we're in a good place. We have to remain vigilant and work together.”

His comments came after local leaders criticised the government for quietly changing its coronavirus guidance for eight areas affected by the Indian variant.

The updated advice, which is not law and was not officially announced, encourages people in areas including Bolton, Leicester, Kirklees and the London Borough of Hounslow to not meet indoors due to concerns about rising infection rates.

Health chiefs have said they were not consulted or informed about the new guidance, which also includes advice to avoid travelling in and out of the variant hotspots.

Despite concerns about those areas, work and pensions secretary Therese Coffey told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday that the lifting of all restrictions in June was “still very much under consideration”.

“We are taking a little bit longer to make sure that we have all the data to understand the impact of what has been happening and some of the measures that have been taken and helped by local communities in order to assess whether or not we can proceed,” Ms Coffey said.

“But those announcements will be made in the usual way. We are just gathering more data, recognising the risk that this new variant poses.”

Additional reporting by PA