Readers have shared their thoughts on the Boris Johnson’s announcement of a new date for lockdown being lifted.

Experts feared going ahead with step four on June 21 as planned could lead to hospital admissions on the scale of the first wave of Covid-19 heaping unsustainable pressure on the health service.

To avert this, Mr Johnson said during a Downing Street press conference on Monday that it was “sensible” to put back the end of all legal limits on social contact to July 19, saying he was “confident” no further delay would be necessary.

He hoped deaths would be significantly reduced by that point because two-thirds of adults would have then been offered both vaccine doses due to the delay being coupled with a reduction in the time between jabs for the over-40s.

And now, Times & Star readers have had their say on the issue.

Phil Conway commented: “The vaccine will not protect the vulnerable. The vaccine does not allow you to go on holiday and the vaccine will not allow life to go back to normal.

“Wait until winter we will all be locked down again for four months, just you wait.”

Kenny Blackwell said: “Where was the fear mongering when he was shoulder to shoulder with his guests from all around the world?”

Viv Atherton wrote: “Of course we can’t eliminate it, it’s a virus.

"Open us up and do it now – this is ridiculous.”

Mark Ritson said: “Inevitable – he and his government have messed up this pandemic from the very start, so it isn’t going to change any day soon.”

Jack Jarvis commented: “Limits on numbers for sports events, pubs and cinemas will therefore remain in place’. Unless of course it’s the Wimbledon finals, all the other sports have to lump it!

“Class division or what? Absolute disgraceful decision, no shame whatsoever.

n What do you think of the extension on restrictions? Let us know your thoughts at letters.ts@cnmedia.co.uk