BORIS Johnson's freedom day has been delayed and it is mostly his fault.

He is responsible for the delayed inclusion of India on the travel ‘red list’ as well as the ongoing gaps in our infection containment strategy.

According to the Independent SAGE, there is still inadequate support for isolation, thus many symptomatic individuals do not self-isolate.

Public Health England reports show that many outbreaks now occur in educational settings.

The general secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers has accused the Government of having responsibility for the rise in schools with its decision to remove the use of face masks from May 17.

There is no certainty at this stage that we will achieve herd immunity on July 19 and it is unwise to promise the removal of all restrictions, including the use of face masks in enclosed spaces. Vaccinating below the age of 18 and an autumn vaccine booster covering the variants might be required.

Our Government is wrong in ignoring the rising number of infections. The risk of the emergence of new variants, potentially escape mutants, increases with the number of infections.

Unrealistic Covid expectations are not helpful. Freedom day will come only when the threat is over.

Dr Giuseppe Enrico Bignardi, Durham.