English clubbers celebrate Freedom day as Delta drives new Covid-19 infections

England lifted most pandemic ­restrictions on Monday despite surging infections and dire warnings from experts.

Passengers at rush hour on the London underground on Monday. Picture: Getty Images

England lifted most pandemic ­restrictions on Monday despite surging infections and dire warnings from experts, as the Delta variant swept parts of Europe and Asia and new cases in the Olympic Village threatened to mar the upcoming Tokyo Games.

As England celebrated so-called “freedom day”, Vietnam locked down much of its population, while Indonesia clocked daily record deaths and French MPs were set to toughen vaccine rules.

The highly transmissible Delta variant is driving new outbreaks along with a relaxation of measures, as countries seek to kickstart virus-battered economies.

In Britain, daily infections have climbed, averaging more than 50,000 since last week, with Delta taking hold in many areas.

But despite accusations of recklessness, the UK government lifted legal mandates on social distancing, wearing masks and working from home, urging personal responsibility instead.

Nightclubs in England reopened their floors to dancers at the stroke of midnight for the first time since March last year, while sports stadiums, cinemas and theatres can now run at full capacity.

But Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that nightclubbers would have to prove they were fully vaccinated against the virus.

Nicola Webster Calliste, 29, was thrilled as she stood outside a club in Leeds in northern England.

“I thought, well, we missed New Year’s, so why not come out and celebrate?” she said. “It’s like a new chapter.”

Covid-19 travel rules and self-isolation for close contacts remain in place. Mr Johnson – who is self-isolating after his Health Minister was infected – has defended the move, dubbed “freedom day” by some media, but urged people to remain prudent.

The government says thanks to a rapid vaccination program, the risks to the healthcare system are manageable.

But the approach is marked by “moral emptiness and epidemiological stupidity”, said University of Bristol public health expert ­Gabriel Scally.

Countries including Greece, The Netherlands and Spain have been forced to reimpose restrictions to battle new outbreaks.

But bookings of flights to Spain from the Britain have risen sharply since London lifted quarantine for vaccinated Britons returning home, according to Javier Gandara, who chairs the Airlines Association.

In France, cabinet members were expected to approve stricter vaccination rules requiring people to show either proof of full vaccination or a recent test to enter public venues such as restaurants, bars, shopping centres, long-distance trains and cinemas.

Indonesia has in recent days overtaken India and Brazil as the global Covid-19 hotspot, its daily death toll hitting a record 1338 on Monday.

There are fears people travelling for the Eid festivities could spread the virus further, and authorities in the vast Muslim-majority country strengthened road­blocks on Monday for the start of the holidays.

Mauritania, concerned over rising Covid-19 infections, has banned mosque prayers over the Eid holiday set for Wednesday.

Vietnam ordered about a third of its 100 million people to stay at home in several provinces as it battles new outbreaks – with a ­record 6000 new daily infections reported.

In Myanmar, where hospitals are empty because of a strike against the military junta, volunteers are going house-to-house to collect bodies for burials.

And as organisers finalised preparations for the 2020 Olympics – set to open on Friday with no spectators and with Tokyo under a state of emergency after a surge in cases – four virus cases were confirmed in the athletes’ ­village.

The latest Asahi Shimbun newspaper poll found a majority of respondents, 55 per cent, were against holding the Games this summer, with 33 per cent in favour.

In a sign of the current sentiment, car giant Toyota said it would not run Olympics-related TV ads, and its executives will not be present at the opening ceremony.

AFP