Will there be another lockdown in 2021?
Most new cases of coronavirus are the Delta variant (Picture: TOLGA AKMEN/AFP via Getty Images)  Prime Minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that most of the remaining Covid-19 restrictions in England will be lifted on July 19  in what has become known as Freedom Day. From next Monday venues such as nightclubs, which have been closed for almost a year and a half, will be permitted to reopen, while other moves such as the Rule Of Six will be scrapped. However, the Prime Minister has urged caution in the wake of the Delta variant causing Covid-19 cases in the UK to surge  with more than 30,000 a day currently being recorded, and predictions that this could rise to 100,000 a day over the summer, almost double the peak of January this year. Although Boris Johnson has said that the lifting of restrictions is irreversible, he hasnt ruled out the possibility that some may have to return in the event of another wave of infections, or the arrival of a new variant of the virus. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video  He explained On the irreversibility point, obviously if we do find another variant that doesnt respond to the vaccines, if heaven forbid, some really awful new bug should appear, then clearly we will have to take whatever steps we need to do to protect the public. But on balance, given the massive success of the vaccine rollout, given the fact that this is a propitious moment, a good moment to do it given the coming summer holidays, the natural firebreak we have there, and given the difficultly of us opening up in the context of the colder, autumn and winter months, I think this is a balanced and cautious approach.  Currently, experts dont think there will be another lockdown this year. Despite worries around the Delta variant, scientists hope that the success of the vaccine programme means that hospital admissions will continue to fall. The PM has refused to deny that there will have to be further lockdowns, but said that the roadmap was cautious but irreversible. There has been some suggestion that local restrictions may return, as cases of the Delta variant appear to be surging in areas where vaccination take-up is limited. Vaccines are now available to anyone over 18 (Picture: Getty)  Professor Neil Ferguson told the BBC that new rules would be unlikely even if case numbers did increase. In the worst-case scenario, if we have a new variant pop up which does manage to evade the vaccines, say late summer early autumn, there may be a need to roll back on some of these measures at least temporarily until we can boost peoples immunity. No, I dont. I think we are much more likely to be on a steady course now out of this pandemic, at least in this country.  Others are less optimistic. Some believe the UK is currently experiencing a third wave, that could see hundreds of daily deaths in hospitals. Professor Graham Medley of the governments Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies was asked if the country might be facing hundreds of daily deaths to Covid-19 if all restrictions on social contact had been lifted as planned on June 21. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video  He replied: Oh easily. I think we still might at some point.  Although the numbers of deaths are low at the moment, everyone expects that they will rise, he told BBC Radio 4s Today programme. The question is really as to what level they will rise. And at the moment there is a lot of uncertainty in whats going to happen over the next couple of months.  Another potential issue is the shortage of vaccination doses, because of the decision to limit the AstraZeneca vaccine to over 40s due to concerns about rare blood clots. Coronavirus precautions  like mask-wearing  are still in place (Picture: Getty)  The data shows the rate at which doses are being administered is slowing and may yet fall further. Leaders in areas hard hit by the Delta strain have called for more doses to be delivered but are instead seeing supplies dwindle  with Salford in Greater Manchester among areas affected. In Salford, Greater Manchester, the local MP Barbara Keeley said in June theyd been told to expect just 2,200 Pfizer doses next week, down from 3,500  despite the area having one of the worst infection rates in the country at the time, with more than 300 cases per 100,000. However, NHS websites were inundated with requests as the over-18 age group became eligible for jabs, and the government insist they are still on track to vaccinate every adult by July 19. MORE : Wearing face masks from Monday probably wont do any good if others stop  MORE : Lockdown extension looms in Sydney as Australia sees first Covid death of 2021  Follow Metro across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  Share your views in the comments below