Sajid Javid used his first appearance at the despatch box since his appointment as Health Secretary to paint an optimistic picture of the UK’s route out of lockdown. Confirming that there would be no relaxation on 5 July, Javid talked up the likelihood of restrictions ending on 19 July. He appeared to go further than Matt Hancock on the end of lockdown. Javid said he was ‘very confident’ the end of the roadmap would go ahead: ‘For me, 19 July is not only the end of the line but the start of an exciting new journey for our country.’
Of course, Javid wouldn’t be the first minister to sound positive about an easing date only for it delayed. But what was striking about his comments was how he said there would never be a perfect date for ending restrictions. Instead, rather than hope to eliminate the virus, the British people needed to learn to live with Covid sooner rather than later:
We see no need to go beyond the 19 July because in truth no date we choose comes with zero risk for Covid.
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