The government is confident that plans to lift a range of Covid-19 restrictions will go ahead on July 19 in England, Reuters has quoted Britain's vaccine minister, Nadhim Zahawi, as saying.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to confirm the plans for the lifting of the restrictions on Monday.

“I am confident that we can proceed to step four [in the four-stage easing of England’s lockdown], but cautiously,” Zahawi told Sky News.