PM unveils plans for return to normality in the summer

Latest updates and essential advice from The Independent [View in browser]( [Alternate text] Daily briefing February 23, 2021 Today’s essential news from the source you trust This morning’s headlines England will [return to something close to normal life no earlier than 21 June]( under the terms of a roadmap out of lockdown unveiled by Boris Johnson on Monday. The prime minister described the plan as “a one-way road to freedom” but cautioned that measures could be paused at any time if the data makes clear that relaxations have increased the danger from Covid-19. In an upbeat message, he said: “The end really is in sight and a wretched year will give way to a spring and a summer that will be very different and incomparably better than the picture we see around us today.” Mr Johnson’s plan will see schools reopen to all pupils from 8 March, while non-essential shops, outdoor dining and beer gardens could open no earlier than 12 April and indoor mixing, drinking and dining, hotel visits and limited crowds at sporting events return from 17 May at the earliest. From 21 June, if all goes to plan, the final restrictions on nightclubs, summer festivals and mass-attendance events like concerts and football matches could be lifted. The “stay at home” message will be switched to “stay local” from 29 March, when outdoor gatherings between up to two households will be permitted to allow family get-togethers over Easter. The rollout of the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine is [reducing infections and the number of deaths among the elderly]( and driving down their rates of admittance to hospital, Public Health England has said. The body said results from its Siren (Sarscov2 Immunity and reinfection evaluation) study, looking at infections among 40,000 NHS workers, who were being tested for Covid every two weeks, found the vaccine successfully prevented both symptomatic and asymptomatic infections, reducing cases by more than 72 per cent 21 days after a first dose. This increased to 86 per after a second dose. A separate analysis of routine Covid testing data also revealed one dose of the vaccine was 57 per cent effective against symptomatic infections in those aged over 80, four weeks after the first dose. America’s top infectious diseases expert, Dr Anthony Fauci, has said the US’s response to the coronavirus was [among the worst on the planet](. The director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease spoke with ABC News about the US’s failure to contain and suppress the virus as the country passed the grim milestone of 500,000 deaths. “We’ve done worse than most any other country,” Dr Fauci said. “And we’re a highly-developed rich country.” He said that early predictions of 250,000 deaths were written off as “hyperbolic” and said “now here we are with a half a million deaths.” The comments come on the same day that Joe Biden plans to honour the Americans who have died as a result of the coronavirus, attending a candlelit vigil and observing a moment of silence. . We need your support The Independent employs over 100 journalists around the world to bring you news you can trust. Please consider showing your support with a contribution. [Contribute]( . Top stories [Facebook lifts ban on news in Australia]( [Nasa reveals video of Mars landing]( [Alex Salmond claims ‘malicious’ attempt to remove him from public life]( . Sign up for our free weekly climate email Subscribe to the Independent Climate Newsletter for exclusive news and features from our specialist reporters across the world. Signing up takes just one click. [Sign up for free]( . More news - [DUP warns NI Protocol could cause ‘political instability’ - follow Brexit live]( - [Malaysian court halts deportation of 1,200 Myanmar migrants]( - [More Myanmar protests follow strike, foreign concerns]( - [Australia says Facebook will lift its Australian news ban]( - [Business support still needed as nation navigates Johnson’s pandemic roadmap]( . News you can trust The Independent has a 100% NewsGuard trust rating [NewsGuard] [Find out more]( . If you can spare two minutes we’d love to hear your [feedback]( on our newsletters [Alternate text] Join the conversation or follow us [Twitter]( [Facebook]( Please do not reply directly to this email You are currently registered to receive The Independent's News email. Add us to your safe list of senders. If you do not want to receive The Independent News email and Breaking News alerts, please [unsubscribe](list_name=IND_Headlines_Masterlist_CDP). If you no longer wish to receive any newsletters or promotional emails from The Independent, you can unsubscribe [here](. This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5HF. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345. Read our [privacy notice]( and [cookie policy](.