Sajid Javid Set To Announce Further Two Weeks Lockdown In First Commons Statement As Health Secretary

Sajid Javid Is Set To Announce A Further Two Weeks Of Lockdown In His First Commons Statement As Health Secretary.

AS he addresses MPs in the Commons later today Mr Javid is expected to confirm restrictions cannot be eased on July 5. Instead, the new health secretary is expected to confirm that Step 4 of lockdown easing will take place on Monday July 19, which is in line with the four-week delay from the original target of June 21, not Monday, July 5.

The Bromsgrove MP has been in the job less than 48 hours after taking on the role following Matt Hancock’s sudden resignation on Saturday afternoon, June 26.

It is understood that Boris Johnson met with ministers and scientists last night to determine whether moving on to Stage 4 of the easing of lockdown could commence from next week.

The Prime Minister announced a four-week delay to the final stage of his roadmap to ending restrictions earlier this month, it was then that he pledged to hold a two-week review to see if the easing of measures could be moved forward.

However, with cases, hospitalisations and deaths from Covid continuing to rise, Mr Johnson has ruled out bringing forward the July 19 unlocking date.

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Professor Sir Peter Horby, chairman of the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), said: “We always have to be driven by the data, not the dates , so we’re watching it very carefully and there will be a lot of analysis of the data coming up to that date, to make sure we’re comfortable with that release.

“At the moment, the data is encouraging that we can do that. But we have to make sure that we follow the data.”

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