Covid-19: Nothing conclusive on changing roadmap, says PM

There is "nothing conclusive" in the data that means England "would have to deviate from the roadmap" out of lockdown, Boris Johnson has said.

The government plans to end remaining restrictions on social contact by 21 June, but there is increasing concern about the Indian variant.

The situation, including data from hotspots such as Bolton, was "under close review", the prime minister said.

Ministers will "let people know in a few days' time" after data is studied.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said on Monday that 86 local councils had five or more cases of the variant first discovered in India, which is thought to be more transmissible.

Speaking on a visit to a vaccination centre, Mr Johnson continued to urge people "to be cautious".

He said the situation with the Indian variant was "under very careful, close review", saying: "We're looking at all the data as it comes in from places like Bolton, Blackburn, Bedford, Sefton."

Mr Johnson said they were trying to understand if the Indian variant was more transmissible and "to what extent our vaccine programme has sufficiently fortified us".

"We've got a few more days of looking at that data," he said.

The prime minister's official spokesman said that while the government was not ruling out measures such as local lockdowns at this stage, it was "too early to speculate" on what future measures it may need to take.

Asked if a decision was expected sooner than 14 June on progressing to the final step of England's roadmap, the spokesman said that in relation to certification and social distancing, ministers "do want to update pubs and businesses, if possible, before 14 June".

But he added they needed to "allow the experts to do their work" and "couldn't be more specific on timings".