THE Prime Minister has announced a new date for lockdown being lifted during a Downing Street press conference.

Boris Johnson announced there will be a four week delay to the lifting of lockdown which was originally scheduled for Monday June 21.  The new date will be July 19.

This announcement comes after he had previously told the country that all restrictions would be lifted by June 21.  He said: "The virus could outrun the vaccine.

"We could give the NHS a few more weeks to give everyone their jab. This opening up ... has inevitably been accompanied by more infection and more hospitalisation. We cannot simply eliminate Covid, we must learn to live with it.”

Covid-19 vaccines are 'highly effective' in preventing hospital admission with the Delta variant of coronavirus, according to new data from Public Health England (PHE).

The prime minister’s announcement came as analysis showed England's rate of new infections had climbed to its highest level for more than three months. Some 37,729 new infections were recorded in England in the seven days to 9 June, according to Public Health England.

The delay in restrictions easing means capacity limits for sports, pubs and cinemas will remain, and nightclubs would stay closed.

Mr Johnson said many younger people are still un-vaccinated and older people may still be susceptible. Those over 24 can book a first vaccine from today, and ministers hope to give two-thirds of all adults both doses by July 19.