British finance minister Rishi Sunak said he understood the frustration felt by some businesses and members of the public about the continued need for 10 days of self-isolation if they are in contact with someone infected with Covid.

Britain's government will lift capacity restrictions on pubs, restaurants and other public events on July 19, despite a surge in the number of Covid infections. Businesses fear many staff and customers will need to self-isolate.

“I appreciate people's frustration with this. It's part of what I and the prime minister call a balanced approach. We want to make sure we see an appropriate degree of caution,” Sunak told Sky News.