BORIS Johnson has promised to tear up England’s coronavirus regulations at the next stage of the road map, which is expected on July 19.

The so-called “freedom day” is expected in two weeks time, with a decision on whether or not to go ahead expected to be made at some point next week.

Officials acknowledged that Covid-19 cases and deaths would continue to increase – albeit at a much lower level than before the vaccination programme – but it was now necessary to find a new way to live with the virus.

At a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson acknowledged the pandemic was “far from over” with cases rising “fairly rapidly”.

“There could be 50,000 cases detected per day by the 19th,” he said.

“We are seeing rising hospital admissions and we must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from Covid.

“In these circumstances we must take a careful and a balanced decision – and there’s only one reason why we contemplate going ahead to Step 4 in circumstances where we would normally be locking down further and that’s because of the continuing effectiveness of the vaccine rollout.”

He added: “We have to balance the risks. The risks of the disease which the vaccines have reduced but very far from eliminated and the risks of continuing with legally-enforced restrictions that inevitably take their toll on people’s lives and livelihoods, on people’s health and mental health.

“We must be honest with ourselves that if we can’t reopen our society in the next few weeks, when we will be helped by the arrival of summer and by the school holidays, then we must ask ourselves: when will we be able to return to normal?”

Here are all the changes expected to be made at 'Step 4':

  • Let people make their own decision on how they 'manage the virus'.
  • Remove legal limits of numbers meeting indoors and outdoors.
  • Allow ALL businesses to reopen, including nightclubs.
  • Lift limit on named-visitors to care homes and number of people attending concerts, theatre, and sporting events.
  • Remove 1m rule.
  • Remove legal rule to wear a facemask.
  • No more bubbles/contact isolation in school.
  • No more work from home rule.
  • No need for a Covid certificate to event events.
  • Continue to use Test and Trace - and continue to self isolate if testing positive.
  • No more quarantine from amber list countries.

Although the legal requirement to self-isolate will remain for people who have tested positive or been identified as a contact by NHS Test and Trace, Mr Johnson wants contacts who are fully vaccinated to be exempt and the Government will set out further details in due course.

Later this week, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps will give an update on plans to remove the need for fully vaccinated arrivals from amber list countries to isolate, while Education Secretary Gavin Williamson will set out his plans for schools amid concern about the impact of the bubble system.