London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 16, 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
French National Assembly Overrides Senate to Pass Historic Assisted-Dying Legislation
Spanish Prime Minister's Wife Ordered to Stand Trial as Corruption Probes Encircle Governing Party
Zelensky Faces Kyiv Protests Over Ousting of Dynamic Ukrainian Defense Minister
Colombia Influencer Dies After Cosmetic Procedure at Unlicensed Bogota Salon
Thomas Tuchel Faces Fierce Backlash After Tactical Retreat Costs England World Cup Final Berth
A Quiet Bastille Day: France Grapples with World Cup Heartbreak and Leftover Fireworks
Canadian Wildfire Crisis Triggers Transnational Air Quality Alerts Ahead of Soccer Finale
UK Housing Reform Debate Intensifies Over Tenant Protection Measures
UK Defence Official Challenges Russian Narrative on NATO Readiness and European Security
UK Names Independent Member to Judicial Pension Board to Strengthen Oversight
UK Parliamentary Committee Sets New Framework for Select Committee Leadership Roles
UK Government Pushes Energy Savings Through School Solar Expansion Plan
UK Committee Reviews Future of Gaelic Broadcasting and Language Support
UK Government Expands Industrial Skills Support in Wales as Steel Sector Faces Change
UK Rejects Russian Claims That European Defence Spending Is Aggressive
UK Schools and Gaelic Broadcasting Among Areas Reviewed in New Parliamentary Inquiries
UK Housing Committee Calls for Stronger Tenant Protections Under Rental Reform Plans
UK Government Faces Pressure for Stronger Oversight After South East Water Failings Report
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Safety of Women and Girls on Public Transport
UK Defence Ministry Appoints Interim Chief Defence Medical Officer During Transition Period
UK Government Announces Five Million Pound Skills Programme for Young People in Port Talbot
UK Government Launches Solar Programme to Cut Energy Costs for Schools
Met Office Warns Extreme Weather Is Becoming More Common Across the UK
UK Government Faces Internal Debate Over New Chancellor Appointment Under Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham Set to Become UK Prime Minister After Keir Starmer’s Resignation
UK Economy Grows Slightly in May as Supply Chain Disruptions Continue to Weigh on Industry
British Steel Moves Into UK Public Ownership to Protect Domestic Steel Production and Jobs
Spain in Ecstasy: "We Feel Unbeatable, We Taught the Whole World a Lesson"
Spain and UK Dismantle Gibraltar Border Following Landmark Schengen Integration Treaty
Church of England Rejects Plan to Rewild Thirty Percent of Land by 2030
UK Parliament Examines Future of Gaelic Broadcasting in Scotland
Thames Water Faces Criticism Over Four Million Pounds in Bonus Payments
South East Water Crisis Puts UK Water Regulation Under Renewed Scrutiny
UK Report Highlights Racial Inequality in Homelessness Support Services
UK Government Defends Proposed Social Media Curfew for Teenagers Despite Criticism
Reform UK Gains Recognition as Major Political Party in New Polling
Labour Party Faces Internal Divisions Over Gaza Policy and Asylum Reform
Experts Warn UK Housing and Transport Infrastructure Is Unprepared for Rising Extreme Heat
UK Human Rights Committee Begins Review of Immigration and Asylum Bill
UK Parliament Launches Inquiry Into Declining High Streets Across England
Bank of England Governor Warns of Growing AI Risks to Global Financial Security
UK Public Finance Institutions Mobilize Fifty Billion Pounds to Support Growth and Jobs
UK Parliament Opens Inquiry Into Long-Term Strategy Toward Russia
UK-India Trade Agreement Takes Effect With Zero-Duty Access for Nearly All Indian Exports
Forget Tinder: The Surprising Platform Where People Find Love
UK Government Faces Growing Debate Over Local Control of Immigration Enforcement
UK Biodiversity Forum Highlights Business Need to Protect Natural Environment
UK Parliament to Consider Workplace Temperature Limits Amid Climate Concerns
UK Parliament Considers Independent Immigration Appeals Authority Proposal
BBC Charter Renewal Scrutiny Intensifies as Parliament Reviews Broadcaster’s Future
×