This week (5th), Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that covid restrictions will soon be lifted in the final stage of the lockdown roadmap.

The PM said he was confident enough to go ahead with relaxing a majority of coronavirus restrictions later this month (July 19th).

The changes would include an end to social distancing, masks, and all businesses reopening.

The decision was welcomed with open arms by West Cornwall MP Derek Thomas, who is keen to see residents return to normal activities that have been hindered due to covid.

Helston has seen a rise in covid cases - believed to be down to the loosening of restrictions in May and half-term visitors, 73 cases have been reported in Helston and the surrounding villages over the last seven days up to 1st July.

But while Mr Thomas sees the rise in cases, there has not been a rise in hospitalisations.

Speaking to Nub News, Derek Thomas commented:

"For the last year, we've been stopping the spread of covid by placing barriers between us, lockdowns, social distancing, limits on gatherings.

"But now we've got what Sajid Javid calls "the vaccine wall of protection", getting higher all the time. As we've seen in Cornwall, even when cases spike there is no great rise in hospitalisations.

"Opening up is not reckless – it is replacing one barrier to coronavirus with another, one which lets us return to all the things that make life worthwhile. I'm looking forward to July 19th."

Click here to see more from Derek Thomas.

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