Boris Johnson confirms 19 July end to face masks and social distancing

Boris Johnson has confirmed that social distancing and mandatory mask-wearing will be scrapped in England in step 4 of the Covid lockdown roadmap.

He told a Downing Street press conference on Monday that he expected the final step to go ahead on July 19, but that this would ultimately be decided on July 12.

Step 4 includes removing legal limits on social contact, allowing all businesses to reopen, lifting the “one metre plus” rule on social distancing, and ending the legal obligation to wear a face covering, he said.