Key dates in England’s timeline for lifting Covid restrictions

A series of decisions are due in the next five weeks about the potential lifting of Covid restrictions in England. Here are the key dates to look out for:

24 June – travel corridors update

The Department for Transport (DfT) will announce any changes to the “traffic light” system by which people coming into the UK (decisions are devolved, but the countries on each list are currently the same UK-wide) from certain destinations have to follow different quarantine rules. Currently, only 11 places are on the green list, which allow a return without quarantine, none of which are major destinations for UK tourists, and the travel industry hopes more might be added.

28 June – notice of changes on 5 July

When Boris Johnson announced a four-week delay to phase four of the relaxation of Covid restrictions, which would have ended the bulk of them, due to the rapid spread of the more transmissible Delta variant, he promised a mid-point at which the decision could be reassessed. There is little to suggest the situation has improved enough for this to happen, but Downing Street has promised to give a week’s notice to any changes, so this is when people will be told either way.

5 July – mid-point review date

If there is a sudden positive change in the Covid statistics, this would be the new date for what several tabloids have called “freedom day”. But it seems very unlikely.

12 July – notice of changes on 19 July

This is the expected date for an announcement that stage four of unlocking will happen a week later. Precisely how much extra freedom this will involve will depend on a number of factors, not least the findings of reviews into longer-term Covid priorities, also due before the 19th (see below).

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15 July – travel corridors update

These happen every three weeks. But by this point, what could be much more significant than changes to the green list is the promise from ministers to allow people who have been double-vaccinated, and children, to avoid any quarantine if they return from an amber list country, rather than the current 10-day period. This policy, plus a removal of the advice to not travel to amber list destinations beyond urgent reasons, would open up the bulk of destinations for holidays, even if the need for tests would add considerably to costs.

Shortly before 19 July – reviews published

The government has commissioned detailed studies into future social distancing rules and the use of “Covid certification schemes”, and has run a series of pilot events with mass crowds, including sporting matches, and having people without any isolation in nightclubs and festivals. All these are due to be published before stage four of reopening happens, and could be very significant. While the extent of vaccination means certification schemes, which would restrict entry to some places without proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test, are unlikely to happen, the other two could spell a longer-term future of, for example, mask use in certain situations.

19 July – reopening

Barring something significant, such as the arrival of a particularly virulent or vaccine-resistant Covid variant, this seems set to be the final stage of reopening, albeit within the limits of whatever the reviews recommend. Johnson has promised this, and if he changed his mind without a pressing reason, the prime minister would face fury from many of his backbenchers.