Boris Johnson will hammer home the message that he is “dead set” against another lockdown as he insists the country must “learn to live with” coronavirus, according to a report.
The prime minister is gearing up to lay out his winter blueprint for “managing” Covid during the winter months, in what will be his first coronavirus press conference since nearly all legal restrictions were scrapped in July.
He is expected to commit to repealing some of the coronavirus powers handed to him by MPs in March 2020, including those allowing him to close down the economy and impose restrictions on gatherings.
Labour has urged the government “to get a grip before winter”, describing health secretary Sajid Javid’s dramatic announcement on Sunday that the government had dropped its plans for domestic vaccine passports “the culmination of a summer of chaos from ministers”.
Describing the argument Mr Johnson is set to make this week, a senior government source told The Telegraph: “This is the new normal. We need to learn to live with Covid.
Recommended Boris Johnson’s Brexit chief to lay down ultimatum to Brussels Johnson urged to expand UK’s ‘total farce’ scheme for Afghan refugees PM isolated as MPs rage at UK’s ‘weakness’ and ‘shame’ in Afghanistan
“The vaccines are a wall of defence. The autumn and the winter do offer some uncertainty, but the prime minister is dead set against another lockdown.”
Reports indicate that the traffic light system governing international travel are set to be scrapped, in addition to requirements for fully vaccinated British arrivals to pay for PCR tests.
However, the government could reportedly still reintroduce restrictions regarding face masks and could reissue work from home advice if infections surge.
No 10 has said it is difficult to predict what pressures will be placed on the NHS, with Covid circulating alongside flu, but warned: “The winter months will bring renewed challenges.”
Mr Johnson’s announcement is set to coincide with the Joint Committee on Immunisation and Vaccination’s final decision on booster jabs, while The Observer reported that ministers are set to unveil plans to begin vaccinating 12- to 15-year-olds imminently.
Nadhim Zahawi, the vaccines minister, told MPs this week that booster jabs are “probably the most important piece of the jigsaw yet to fall into place before we can transition this virus from pandemic to endemic status”.
UK news in pictures Show all 50
1/50UK news in pictures
UK news in pictures 11 September 2021 Arsenal’s Takehiro Tomiyasu attempts to control the ball during the Premier League match at The Emirates Stadium
PA
UK news in pictures 10 September 2021 People paddle board during a misty morning in Ullswater, the second largest lake in the Lake District, Cumbria
PA
UK news in pictures 9 September 2021 Troops from Wiltshire based 4 Armoured Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers during final inspection at Wellington Barracks in London, ahead of providing troops for the Queen’s Guard
PA
UK news in pictures 8 September 2021 Workers cross London Bridge during the morning rush hour in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures Mixing it up: Painting it up press view in London A gallery employee poses for photographers next to a painting entitled “Prairie” by British artist, Louise Giovanelli during the exhibition 'Mixing it up: Painting it up' at the Hayward Gallery in London
EPA
UK news in pictures 6 September 2021 Traders in the Ring at the London Metal Exchange, in the City of London, after open-outcry trading returned for the first time since March 2020, when the Ring was temporarily closed due to the pandemic
PA
UK news in pictures 5 September 2021 People enjoy the warm weather on Sandbanks beach, Poole
PA
UK news in pictures 4 September 2021 Demonstrators from Animal Rebellion and Nature Rebellion protest in Trafalgar Square in London.
PA
UK news in pictures 3 September 2021 South Africa's Ntando Mahlangu (centre) wins the Men's 200 metres T61 Final ahead of second placed Great Britain's Richard Whitehead at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
PA
UK news in pictures 2 September 2021 A young common seal on the beach at Horsey Gap in Norfolk, as hundreds of pregnant grey seals come ashore ready for the start of the pupping season.
PA
UK news in pictures 1 September 2021 Goldfinches fighting over food in a garden in Strensham, Worcestershire
PA
UK news in pictures 31 August 2021 Gold Medallist Sarah Storey of Britain celebrates on the podium
Reuters
UK news in pictures 30 August 2021 Extinction Rebellion protesters hold a a tea party on Tower Bridge in London
EPA
UK news in pictures 29 August 2021 A police office tussles with a demonstrator on Cromwell Road outside the Natural History Museum during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion in London
PA
UK news in pictures 28 August 2021 Members of the British armed forces 16 Air Assault Brigade walk to the air terminal after disembarking a Royal Airforce Voyager aircraft at Brize Norton, Oxfordshire
POOL/AFP/Getty
UK news in pictures 27 August 2021 Fabio Quartararo crashes during a MotoGP practice session at the British Grand Prix, Silverstone Circuit
Action Images via Reuters
UK news in pictures 26 August 2021 An Extinction Rebellion activist holds a placard in a fountain surrounded by police officers, during a protest next to Buckingham Palace in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures 25 August 2021 Gold Medallist Great Britain’s cyclist, Sarah Storey, celebrates after winning the Women’s C5 3000m Individual Pursuit Final at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. It was her 15th Paralympic gold
Reuters
UK news in pictures 24 August 2021 A demonstrator dressed as bee during a protest by members of Extinction Rebellion on Whitehall, in central London
PA
UK news in pictures 23 August 2021 Former interpreters for the British forces in Afghanistan demonstrate outside the Home Office in central London
AFP/Getty
UK news in pictures 22 August 2021 Police officers form a line in front of the entrance to the Guildhall, London, where protesters have climbed onto a ledge above the entrance during an Extinction Rebellion stage a protest
PA
UK news in pictures 21 August 2021 People take part in a demonstration in solidarity with people of Afghanistan, in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures 20 August 2021 People zip wire across the sea from Bournemouth pier towards the beach.
PA
UK news in pictures 19 August 2021 Supporters of Geronimo the alpaca gather outside Shepherds Close Farm in Wooton Under Edge, Gloucestershire
PA
UK news in pictures 18 August 2021 Former Afghan interpreters and veterans hold a demonstration outside Downing Street, calling for support and protection for Afghan interpreters and their families
PA
UK news in pictures 17 August 2021 Military personnel board the RAF Airbus A400M at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, where evacuation flights from Afghanistan have been landing
Reuters
UK news in pictures 16 August 2021 Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer takes part in a minute's silence at Wolverhampton police station for the victims of the Plymouth mass shooting last week
PA
UK news in pictures 15 August 2021 2Storm, a ten-metre tall puppet of a mythical goddess of the sea created by Edinburgh-based visual theatre company Vision Mechanics, makes its way alongside the seafront at North Berwick, East Lothian, during a performance at the Fringe By The Sea festival
PA
UK news in pictures 14 August 2021 A woman and two young girls look at floral tributes in Plymouth where six people, including the offender, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident
PA
UK news in pictures 13 August 2021 Forensic officers in the Keyham area of Plymouth where six people, including the shooter, died of gunshot wounds in a firearms incident on Thursday evening
PA
UK news in pictures 12 August 2021 Children ride horses in the River Eden in Appleby, Cumbria, during the annual gathering of travellers for the Appleby Horse Fair
PA
UK news in pictures 11 August 2021 Stella Moris (left) reacts after talking to the media outside the High Court in London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal, n London, following the first hearing in the Julian Assange extradition appeal. The US government has won the latest round in its High Court bid to appeal against the decision not to extradite Julian Assange on espionage charges
PA
UK news in pictures 10 August 2021 Students react after they receive their A-Level results at the Ark Academy, in London
Reuters
UK news in pictures 9 August 2021 The final athletes from Great Britain arrive home including Jason Kenny, Laura Kenny and Katie Archibald (front left-right) at Heathrow Airport, London following the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
PA
UK news in pictures 8 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny during the closing ceremony of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Olympic stadium in Japan
PA
UK news in pictures 7 August 2021 People from the Glasgow Southside community take part in the Govanhill Carnival, an anti-racist celebration of pride, unity and the contributions immigrants have made to the community in Govanhill, at Queen's Park, Glasgow
PA
UK news in pictures 6 August 2021 Chijindu Ujah of Britain, Zharnel Hughes of Britain, Richard Kilty of Britain and Nethaneel Mitchell-Blake of Britain celebrate winning silver as they pose with Asha Philip of Britain, Imani Lansiquot of Britain, Dina Asher-Smith of Britain and Daryll Neita of Britain after they won bronze in the women's 4 x 100m relay during Olympic Games Day 14
Getty
UK news in pictures 5 August 2021 A protester places flowers on a photograph of an executed man during a demonstration organised by supporters of the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) to protest against the inauguration of Iran's new president Ebrahim Raisi in central London
AFP via Getty
UK news in pictures 4 August 2021 England's Joe Root looks on as India's KL Rahul doesn't make it to a catch during day one of Cinch First Test match at Trent Bridge, Nottingham
PA
UK news in pictures 3 August 2021 Great Britain's Laura Kenny and Jason Kenny with their silver medals for the Women's Team Pursuit and Men’s Team Sprint during the Track Cycling at the Izu Velodrome on the eleventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan
PA
UK news in pictures 2 August 2021 Great Britain’s Charlotte Worthington competes during the Women’s BMX Freestyle Final at the Tokyo Olympics
PA
UK news in pictures 1 August 2021
EPA
UK news in pictures 31 July 2021 James Guy, Adam Peaty and Kathleen Dawson celebrate winning the gold medal in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final at the Tokyo Olympics
AP
UK news in pictures 30 July 2021 Great Britain's Bethany Shriever and Kye Whyte celebrate their Gold and Silver medals respectively for the Cycling BMX Racing at the Ariake Urban Sports Park on the seventh day of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in Japan
PA
UK news in pictures 29 July 2021 Team GB's Mallory Franklin during the Women’s Canoe Slalom Final on day six of the Tokyo Olympic Games. She went on to win the silver medal
Getty
UK news in pictures 28 July 2021 Canoers on Llyn Padarn lake in Snowdonia, Gwynedd. It was announced that the north-west Wales slate landscape has been granted UNESCO World Heritage Status
PA
UK news in pictures 27 July 2021 A view of one of two areas now being used at a warehouse facility in Dover, Kent, for boats used by people thought to be migrants.
PA
UK news in pictures 26 July 2021 A woman is helped by Border Force officers as a group of people thought to be migrants are brought in to Dover, Kent, onboard a Border Force vessel, following a small boat incident in the Channel
PA
UK news in pictures 25 July 2021 Vehicles drive through deep water on a flooded road in Nine Elms, London
AFP/Getty
UK news in pictures 24 July 2021 Utilities workers inspect a 15x20ft sinkhole on Green Lane, Liverpool, which is suspected to have been caused by ruptured water main
PA
However, experts are warning that coronavirus-related hospital admissions are already increasing at an “alarming rate” – putting increased pressure on the NHS as it struggles to cope with demand for emergency care and millions waiting for treatment.
Responding to a report that the government had drawn up plans for a possible “firebreak” lockdown to coincide with the school holidays in October, Mr Johnson’s official spokesman said this week that such measures “would only be reintroduced as a last resort to prevent unsustainable pressure on our NHS”.
Citing a government adviser, the i newspaper reported in August that Mr Johnson “privately accepts” up to 50,000 annual Covid deaths as an acceptable level before imposing restrictions – to which Downing Street responded “there is no set number of acceptable deaths from Covid”.
Eighteen months after the UK’s first coronavirus-related death, 134,200 people have now lost their lives within 28 days of testing positive. According to the Office for National Statistics, there have been 158,000 deaths registered so far with Covid-19 on the death certificate.