Boris Johnson is set to delay the lifting of remaining lockdown restrictions in England by up to four weeks, according to multiple reports.
The final stage of the lockdown exit plan was originally planned for June 21 and would see all legal limits on social contact removed.
But the Prime Minister is now said to be considering a delay of up to four weeks after a surge in cases of the Delta variant.
A further 29,892 cases of the Delta variant were recorded in the seven days up to June 9 - up from 12,431 cases the week before, according to figures from Public Health England.
The total number of infections attributed to the mutation, which was first detected in India, now accounts for more than 90% of new Covid cases across the country.
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The Telegraph reported on Friday night that Mr Johnson will tell the country on Monday that it is now too risky to go ahead as planned with the lifting of remaining restrictions.
The Prime Minister is said to be instead considering pushing the reopening date back to July 19.
The Telegraph cited a senior Whitehall source as saying that a delay to the lockdown exit would “give protection to many, many millions of people who haven't had their second [vaccine] doses yet but may be vulnerable” to Covid-19.
The results of the ECHO's lockdown freedom survey showed just over half of people (54%) said they don't think the June 21 restrictions should be lifted.
Of the 2,543 responses the remaining 46% said they want the remaining restrictions to be lifted on June 21 as originally planned.
