London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Friday, Jun 26, 2026

Covid-19: Some Covid safeguards needed after June, says Raab

Covid-19: Some Covid safeguards needed after June, says Raab

Some Covid-19 safeguards will need to remain in place beyond June when the roadmap out of lockdown is due to end, the foreign secretary has said.

Dominic Raab told the BBC no decisions have been made, but it could involve some use of social distancing or masks.

Under the government's roadmap, all legal restrictions on social contact in England are due to end on 21 June.

Mr Raab said the UK was "in a good position" to "get life back as close to normal as possible".

The foreign secretary told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show: "But there will still need to be some safeguards in place."

He said the government had not yet made a decision on vaccinating secondary school children.

"That's one of the tools, one of the options that we'll look at. No decisions have been made," he said.

On Sunday, a further 14 deaths within 28 days of a positive Covid test were reported - and 1,671 more cases.

The progress on vaccination means the UK is in "a good position" to end almost all restrictions on 21 June, but the final decision will be based on the evidence, the foreign secretary said.

It comes as the government begins a trial of daily lateral flow tests for people who have come into close contact with someone with Covid, which if successful could spell an end to the requirement to self-isolate.

From 9 May, about 40,000 close contacts of people with Covid in England will be invited to take part in the study.

They will have to test themselves each morning for seven days but will be exempt from the legal requirement to quarantine as long as the result is negative and they do not show any symptoms.

Between May 2020 and April 2021 in England, more than 6.7 million close contacts were reached and told to self-isolate, NHS Test and Trace data shows.

But research found low numbers of people had followed the self-isolation rules in full. Those less likely to self-isolate include men, younger people, parents with young children, working-class backgrounds, people in financial hardship and key workers.

With international travel due to resume in the next stage out of lockdown on 17 May, Mr Raab also said the traffic light system detailing the risk level of travelling to each destination is "coming shortly".

Prof Peter Openshaw, an immunologist who advises the government, said people would be able to go on holiday this summer "within limits".

But he said: "I would absolutely say it is too early to declare victory and to drop our guard.

"We do know that this infection has a tendency to come back again and we need to use this time to be absolutely sure we have got every precaution in place to stop further outbreaks."

He said the use of lateral flow tests was "contentious" among scientists but that he believed they would help to find the people who are "most prone to spreading disease".


Meanwhile, Mr Raab said he would "always look very carefully at any request" to help as India deals with its record surge of Covid cases, which is overwhelming hospitals.

But asked if the UK should pause the vaccination of younger, less vulnerable people to send doses abroad, the foreign secretary said he has not received any request from India "on that specific issue".

He said the government was supporting vaccination worldwide with the billion doses that the UK is contributing to the World Health Organization's Covax programme.

Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said the issue is "deeply personal" as she has a close family member in hospital with Covid in India, but added the UK should not pause the vaccination of younger people to send vaccines overseas.

"We haven't defeated this virus in Britain yet," she said. She said we should not "pit the people of Britain against the people of India" but should instead "dramatically ramp up vaccination and supply" worldwide.


Professor Peter Openshaw: "It's too early to declare victory and to drop our guard"


Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Robert Jenrick Defends £5 Million Donation to Nigel Farage Amid Political Scrutiny
Plymouth Museum The Box Wins 2026 Art Fund Museum of the Year Award
UK Government Faces Backlash Over Plans to Use Former Military Sites for Asylum Accommodation
Labour Party Faces Pressure Over Cabinet Stability as Senior Figures Clash on Policy Direction
Heathrow Airport Forecasts Passenger Decline in 2026 as Costs and Climate Disruption Mount
UK Energy Regulator Approves Expansion of Long-Duration Storage to Boost Power System Resilience
Crown Estate Reports Third Consecutive Year of £1 Billion Profit as Debate Over Royal Finances Intensifies
Teenager Charged With Murder in Wales Following Death of 14-Year-Old Boy
Nottingham University Hospitals Maternity Failures Trigger Calls for Public Inquiry Into Patient Safety
EasyJet Rejects £4.9 Billion Takeover Offer From Castlelake but Keeps Door Open for Further Talks
Record Heatwave Triggers UK Transport and Infrastructure Strain as Heathrow Revises Passenger Forecast Downward
Ofgem Approves Sixteen Long-Duration Energy Storage Projects to Strengthen UK Grid Stability
Labour Government Faces Internal Tensions Over Cabinet Decisions and Net Zero Policy Direction
British Food and Drink Exports Fall to Decade Low Amid Trade Friction and US Tariffs
Great Britain Grid Operator Spends £10 Million to Stabilize Electricity Supply During Heatwave Demand Surge
UK Parliament Committee Calls for Urgent National Adaptation Strategy as Extreme Heat Strains Public Infrastructure
Record-Breaking Heatwave Pushes England’s National Health Service to Critical Incident Status as Hospitals Struggle With Surge in Emergencies
UK Government Launches Review of Voluntary National Insurance Contributions System
UK Planning Inspectorate Reports Key Infrastructure and Planning Milestones in Annual Review
UK Government Reviews Travel Expense Reimbursement Rates for Employers and Employees
Civil Nuclear Constabulary Launches National Digital Memorial for Officers Killed in Service
UK and US Expand Collaboration on Nuclear Fusion Research and Workforce Exchange
Environment Agency Secures £275,000 Enforcement Deal with Anglian Water Over Permit Breaches
Independent Inspector Flags Ongoing Failures in UK Home Office Border Case Management
UK Government Considers Zero VAT Rate on Land for Social Housing Development
Bank of England Reports Sharp Drop in Emissions and Warns on Climate-Driven Financial Risk
Consumer Confidence in the UK Falls at Fastest Quarterly Rate Since 2022
UK Borrowing Costs Rise Sharply on Gilt Markets Amid Fiscal and Political Concerns
UK Government Plans Legislation to Bring British Steel into Public Ownership
UK Government Secures £210 Million Nuclear Fuel Deal to Support Ukraine Energy Security
London Ambulance Service Reports Record Emergency Call Volume Amid Severe Heatwave
United Kingdom Faces Record June Heatwave as Temperatures Hit 36.7°C in Somerset
UK Financial Services Reform Debate Intensifies Over Ministerial Regulatory Powers
UK Energy Price Cap Rise Expected to Keep Inflation Above Target Through 2026
UK Biohacking and AI Wellness Trends Drive Surge in Personal Health Monitoring
UK Social Care Sector Sees Workforce Shift as Overseas Recruitment Masks Domestic Labour Decline
Nuffield Trust Warns UK Health Budgets Remain Vulnerable Despite Record Spending Levels
UK Coal Pension Surplus Debate Returns to Parliament as Reform UK MP Seeks Clarity on Distribution
UK MPs Consider E-Petition Calling for NHS Newborn Screening for Spinal Muscular Atrophy
UK Parliament Debates E-Petition Calling for Inquiry Into Pro-Israel Influence in Politics
UK Economy Grew 0.6 Percent in Q1 2026 but Business Sentiment Weakens Over Geopolitical Risks
UK Financial Services Bill Enters Lords Committee Stage With Expanded Ministerial Powers
UK Armed Forces Bill Advances With Plans for Defence Housing Service and Drone Defence Measures
UK Treasury Proposes Higher Electricity Generator Levy and Updated Mileage Allowance Rules
UK Parliament Debates Health Bill Amid Persistent GP Access and Patient Satisfaction Concerns
UK Financial Sanctions Regulator Signals Faster, Intelligence-Led Enforcement Strategy
British Chambers of Commerce Warns Business Confidence Crisis Is Dampening UK Investment
UK Parliament Debates Carbon Budget Order as Pressure Mounts on Net Zero Delivery
UK Energy Price Volatility Reinforces Pressure for Faster Electrification of Economy
UK Defence and Aerospace Strategy Gains Momentum as Keir Starmer Pushes Industrial Cooperation in Berlin
×