RECAP: How Sunderland reacted to 'Freedom Day' and details of latest Downing Street press conference

Tom Newton-Dunn, of Times Radio, has asked a series of questions, including about the return of classes in the new academic year and mass events.

Sir Patrick has said there is likely to be a plateau of the peak over August and there is 50,000 cases a day at this stage and has mentioned that doubling, so they would like to see that decrease, and by September as schools return.

Prof Van Tam has added there is a huge uncertainty on the peak and how long it will take, with modellers noting much will be driven by people’s behaviour so it is “in our hands” over coming weeks.

He would urge people to be gradual and cautious and says it can be done, having himself been to a sports event the other day.

The PM has added on nightclubs, he doesn’t want to single out any particular business, but he wants them to behave responsible, use the NHS app and that could become mandatory and it could move on to certification once all have had the chance to get both jabs.

He adds he doesn’t want to close them and it wouldn’t be the right thing to do.

He says they have the “firebreak” of the school holidays and then colder months ahead.

Now with so many jabbed, continuing with restrictions is just postponing hospitalisations, not stopping them.

A journalist has asked what their thoughts on on packed beaches, clubs and other places and asks if there will be a situation where people will be asked to “show your papers to get a pint.”

He went on to ask if they though the easing of lockdown was a good idea on this basis.

Pro Van Tam has said beaches are outside, which helps reduce the chances of tranmission, while clubs are inside and drink is consumed.

He says he wants people to move “gradually and cautiously” and says while hospitalisations are rising, mentioning the North East among those areas where there is an issue.

He says “our destiny is very much in our hands” and stresses the importance of the vaccination programme.

Mr Johnson has said he doesn’t want this to be the case and went on to say measures must be taken to protect people.

He has gone on to touch on plans for social care and says there has been a “three decade” wait, but it won’t be much longer.

The next question is on high number of cases and testing becoming stretched - are there enough LFT and PCR tests?

They also ask should nightclubs be open?

Sir Patrick has said on testing, it’s down to the number and ability to use them, but the whole system comes under strain as more people are carrying out the checks.

Prof Van Tam has referred to people wishing to have a good time and how young people have made a sacrifices for the older generations, in terms of experiences and their relationships.

He sympathises with that, but on the science front, if people pack together in his shed, those without vaccines are more at risk than those who have.

There is no reduction to a risk level of zero, he says, but it is a fact epidemiologically that vaccinated groups will be safer.

He notes is is necessary set up, but he doesn’t want to extend it because it’s one of the two “shots left in our locker” to deal with Covid.

The PM says there are sound epidemiological reasons to keep it going and on August 16, the regime will change, centring on testing, adding this isn’t an easy period.

He says that can only be done thanks to the programme of vaccinations.

The next question has noted comments made by Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, made last week expressing concern about rising numbers.

Prof Van Tam has noted the NHS is not under the pressure it was back in the first two months of the year, but the knock on of infections will be seen in the days ahead and then and then 7-10 days after that on hospitalisations.

If they continue, the pressure will rise, and what the NHS has now is the rise in hospitalisations, but also the catch up of care if couldn’t offer due to Covid, he said.

He has also mentioned primary care and how those “heroes have been flat out for 18 months”.

The issue will go back to Sage for consideration and says on the pressure on the R rate - the reproduction rate - now is the time going into summer, when much of what we do is outdoors, is a good time to push forward.

He referred to how there won’t be a “sweet spot” but now is a good time to move on.

Sir Patrick has added it’s not possible to open up without cases rising and if caution is taken and people avoid areas where there will be spread, the levels will be lower, but opening up during a wave is a risk, but that comes down due to vaccination.

He added there could be 1,000 hospitalisations and “there will be deaths associated with that” due to opening up into a wave.

The PM notes the NHS has been “working flat out” and now isn’t the time to ask people under strain to face a public inquiry, but there will be one in time, answering a query on that matter.

“We continue to learn lessons the whole time,” he says as he closes the briefing.

Here are some more detailed lines from that press conference.

Asked whether he could still promise the road map out of restrictions was irreversible, Mr Johnson said that was the “hope”.

The Prime Minister said: “The road map is, we hope, irreversible. I think I said that from the get-go.

“But we can’t guarantee that, something could obviously happen that changes our calculations, and we’ve got to be humble in the face of nature.

“There could be some new mutant, some new variant of the virus that we have to respond to in a particular way, I’ve always been very clear about that.

“The only way we can make the road map irreversible is by continuing to be cautious. And that I’m afraid is why we’ve got to continue with the measures that we are.”

A query was raised over the trial the PM and Rishi Sunak were due to follow, where they would have tested rather than self-isolated, before there was a change of plan following a public outcry.

Mr Johnson insisted he did not think he was “above the rules” following the aborted plan for him to take part in a pilot scheme which would have allowed him to continue working from Downing Street instead of self-isolating.

“I absolutely didn’t think that,” he told a press conference from Chequers, where is is self-isolating.

“I am today on Zoom or Teams or whatever brilliant system it is that we are using.”

Michael Kill, chief executive officer of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), has slammed the Government’s plan to require full vaccination as condition of entry to nightclubs and other venues from the end of September as an “absolute shambles”.

The trade body boss said: “So, ‘freedom day’ for nightclubs lasted around 17 hours then.

“The announcement from the Prime Minister that Covid passports will be made mandatory for night clubs in September comes after his Health Secretary said only one week ago that they would not be compulsory. What an absolute shambles.

“Leaving aside the fact that this is yet another chaotic U-turn that will leave night clubs who have been planning for reopening for months will now have to make more changes to the way they operate – this is still a bad idea.

“80% of nightclubs have said they do not want to implement Covid passports, worrying about difficulties with enforcing the system and a reduction in spontaneous consumers, as well as being put at a competitive disadvantage with pubs and bars that aren’t subject to the same restrictions and yet provide similar environments.”