UK PM Boris Johnson warns no 'cast iron' guarantee over lifting COVID-19 lockdown

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged people, in a strict lockdown to contain the spread of a new Kent variant of coronavirus for months, to temper optimism around restrictions being lifted as a result of a successful vaccine rollout with patience. During a Downing Street briefing on Monday evening, Mr Johnson said he can't offer any cast iron guarantees because while infections are falling, there are still more COVID-19 patients in hospitals than the peak of the pandemic in April 2020. He hailed the "astonishing efforts" of everyone involved in the delivery of jabs after the government met its target of offering a first dose to 15 million of the most vulnerable this week and expanded the rollout further to over-65s.