New Health Secretary Sajid Javid has said July 19 will be the 'end of the line' for coronavirus restrictions in the country.
Mr Javid, a former Chancellor and Home Secretary, replaced Matt Hancock in the health job after the he resigned after being pictured breaching social distancing rules while kissing his aide Gina Colangelo.
Speaking in Parliament today, Mr Javid said his priority is to get the country back to normal and lift all social distancing rules on July 19.
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The government had hoped it would be able to remove all rules on June 21, but the rise of the Delta variant saw that date pushed back by around a month.
Mr Javid said: "There remains a big task ahead to restore our freedoms, freedoms that government should ever wish to curtail.
"So my task is to help return the economic and cultural life that makes this country so great, while of course protecting life and our NHS.
"That task has been made all the more difficult by the Delta variant, which makes up some 95% of cases in the UK.
"We are using this extra time to protect as many people as we can.
"Our aim is that around two thirds of adults in this country will have had both doses by July 19. We're bringing forward second doses and our target for first doses.
"Vaccine uptake remains sky high and age is no barrier to enthusiasm."
"While cases are ticking up, the number of deaths remain mercifully low."
The new Health Secretary confirmed that the so-called 'freedom day' would not be brought forward, but said he is determined to end all restrictions on July 19.
He added: "Whilst we decided not to bring forward step four, we see no reason to go beyond July 19.
"In truth, no date we choose comes with zero risk for covid, we cannot simply eliminate it, we have to learn to live with it.
"We also know that people and businesses need certainty, so we want every step to be irreversible.
"The restrictions to our freedom must come to an end."
"For me July 19 is not only the end of the line, but the start of an exciting new journey for our country."
Mr Javid also paid tribute to the NHS, social care workers and his predecessor Matt Hancock, who he said had 'achieved a lot' during his time in office.
