UK to make final lockdown easing decision on June 14

Britain will make a decision on June 14 about whether or not to go ahead with the final phase of its easing of COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, health minister Matt Hancock said on Sunday.

"We'll make a final decision for the step four, which is the biggest step on the roadmap, we'll make that final decision on the 14th of June," Hancock said.

The last of four stages of releasing lockdown restrictions is currently scheduled for June 21, but that date is in some doubt due to the spread of a variant of the virus first identified in India.