Prime Minister Boris Johnson said people in England will no longer be required by law to wear face masks in indoor public spaces and to keep at least 1 meter (3 feet) apart as soon as later this month.
Johnson confirmed Monday that legal sanctions will be replaced by individual “informed decisions” when the country moves to the final stage of its lockdown-lifting roadmap.
He said that is scheduled to happen on July 19, though a final decision will come July 12.
The change will mean people can throw away masks after months of enforced face-covering, though businesses and transit operators may still require them. They will still be recommended in some enclosed spaces.
Britain has recorded more than 128,000 coronavirus deaths, the highest toll in Western Europe. Confirmed infections are rising due to the highly transmissible delta variant of the virus.
