Boris Johnson is preparing plans to end the compulsory wearing of face masks.

Boris to axe face mask law from 19th July. This week he will announce that the link between hospitalisations and the COVID infection has been broken. The nation will hear from him about moving out of lockdown from 19th July with ministers doing away with rules and asking people to use their “common sense”.

Also to be ditched is the one-metre-plus social distancing law, which the hospitality trade say is bringing them to their knees. Also being dropped is the need for customers to sign in at bar and order using QR codes.

It is expected the Prime Minister will announce this week recent data shows that, whilst infections may rise as restrictions are eased, the successful vaccination program means that hospitalisations and deaths no longer rise with it.

Talking about the next stage of easing a Government source said “would be about encouraging both people and businesses to take a common sense approach as we learn to live with Covid. The emphasis will be on personal responsibility.”

Following a review of the latest data the final changes will be announced on 12th July. Dr Mike Tildesley, an epidemiologist from Warwick University, said last week “If you look at cases, they are going up in a really concerning way – however, we haven’t yet seen that translate into a significant rise in hospital admissions and deaths.”

The Government source added “Step Four is the end of the roadmap, but it does not mean the pandemic is over. We will be moving into a new stage of our response, and it will be about encouraging both people and businesses to take a common sense approach as we learn to live with Covid.”