The statement is expected at 1700 GMT

There has been talk since the weekend that Johnson will delay the end of restrictions in the UK amid fears of virus variants, which he says is a "serious concern".

The initial plan was to reopen everything "no earlier than 21 June" i.e. next week but that timeline may be pushed back now. Still, it is a bit of a minor hiccup after the progress made by the UK economy in the past two months.