UK's Johnson delays lockdown easing by a month, citing Delta variant risk

Prime Minister Boris Johnson delayed his plans to lift COVID-19 lockdown restrictions by a month on Monday, warning that the more infectious Delta variant meant if he did nothing thousands more people might die. Under the final stage of a plan outlined by Johnson in February, he had hoped to lift most social restrictions on June 21, meaning pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and other hospitality venues could fully reopen. That much-anticipated step was pushed back to July 19. The extra time would be used to speed up Britain's vaccination programme - already one of the world's furthest advanced - by shortening the recommended time between doses for those aged over 40 to eight weeks from 12 weeks.