People across England are experiencing life without legal Covid restrictions for the first time in 16 months today.
So-called 'Freedom Day' comes at a time of surging infection rates, driven by the more transmissible Delta variant.
The UK's recorded another 39-thousand-950 new coronavirus cases.
A further 19 people have also died within 28 days of a positive test.
This compares to 34,471 infections and six deaths reported this time last week.
Despite this, there were cheers from nightclub-goers at a venue in London last night.
It happened after most of England's legal Covid restrictions ended.
Many clubs wasted no time - throwing open their doors just after midnight.
#FreedomDay from Heaven, central London, as nightclubs open again after 16 months pic.twitter.com/p0hkTdr8S1
— Benjamin Butterworth (@benjaminbutter) July 18, 2021
New Normal For Nightclubs
Charlie Gilkes owns several nightclubs in the English capital.
Despite no limit on attendances, he says a full reopening isn't on the cards:
"Given the cases are so high we're no re-opening with a big bang."
"We're not going full tilt."
"But we are keeping some restrictions in."
"I'm looking forward to us getting back to what I hope will be a new normal, or very much like the old normal."
Like so many people I've been pinged by NHS Test and Trace as I have been in contact with someone with COVID-19, and I will be self-isolating until Monday 26th July. pic.twitter.com/X57gDpwDqe
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) July 18, 2021
"No Sense Of Freedom" - WHO
Social distancing and mask-wearing are also no longer compulsory.
The relaxing of measures has led to concern among scientists due to surging infection rates.
England's now reporting the third-highest daily case numbers in the world, behind only India and Brazil.
Dr David Nabarro - the WHO's Special Envoy on Covid-19 - is worried about what the next stage will bring:
"There is no sense of freedom in my heart."
"Unfortunately, there is a sense that the virus is very much here."
The British Prime Minister - who's himself self-isolating - has defended the reopening but is urging people to be cautious.
