Lockdown rules could be eased in ‘mix-and-match’ approach instead of all at once

Boris Johnson may take a ‘mix and match approach’ to ending lockdown restrictions amid a surge in cases of the Delta coronavirus variant. Billed as ‘freedom day’, June 21 is the earliest date that all remaining limits on social contact are set to be lifted. It means nightclubs could open again for the first time in more than a year, while restrictions on weddings and other large events would no longer apply. However, the number of coronavirus cases has jumped by 74% in a week, with another 7,540 infections recorded yesterday – the highest daily jump since February 26, when 8,523 cases were reported.