Timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in England (2021) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The following is a timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in England during 2021. It shows how the pandemic affected England specifically, as rules and reporting were different in other parts of the UK like Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

The COVID-19 Pandemic in England: A 2021 Timeline
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The COVID-19 Pandemic in England: A 2021 Timeline

January 2021: New Year, New Lockdown

1 January – The UK government announced that all primary schools in London would stay closed after the winter break.
2 January –
- Many teaching groups told primary school staff it was not safe to return to school. They asked for online learning instead.
- A protest against the lockdown happened in Hyde Park in London.
3 January –
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson asked parents to send their primary school children back to school if it was open. He said schools were safe. However, many schools decided to stay closed.
- Johnson also said that rules might get even stricter in some parts of England because COVID-19 cases were still rising.
- Sir Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party, asked for a national lockdown to control the rising number of cases.
4 January –
- Most primary schools in England reopened, but people worried if it was the right time.
- Prime Minister Johnson announced another lockdown for England, similar to the one in March 2020. People could only leave home for important reasons like work, exercise, shopping, or medical care. Schools closed again, but vulnerable children and children of key workers could still attend. End-of-year exams were cancelled.
- Brian Pinker, 82, was the first person to get the Oxford–AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine.
5 January –
- The UK recorded over 60,000 new COVID cases in one day, which was the highest number ever at that time. Most of these cases were in England.
- Michael Gove, a government minister, confirmed that GCSE and A Level exams for summer 2021 were cancelled. Grades would be based on teachers' assessments.
- Professor Chris Whitty, England's Chief Medical Officer, suggested that some COVID rules might be needed in Winter 2021–22 to control the virus.
6 January –
- With the third lockdown starting, Boris Johnson said he could not promise that all children would be back at school before the summer holidays.
- Members of Parliament (MPs) voted to approve the new lockdown rules for England.
- The UK government announced seven new large vaccination centers for England. They would open the following week.
7 January – New government rules allowed children without laptops or study space at home to attend school. This caused worries that schools might become too crowded.
8 January –
- Sadiq Kahn, the Mayor of London, said that COVID was "out of control" in London and declared a "major incident."
- Two main headteachers' unions worried about how many children were still attending school during lockdown.
- A TV advertising campaign started, led by Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, telling people to stay home and act as if they had COVID.
- It was reported that more children were seeking help for mental health problems, reaching a record high during lockdown and school closures.
10 January – Quick COVID tests for people without symptoms would be available across England soon.
12 January –
- Home Secretary Priti Patel asked everyone to follow COVID rules and said police would enforce them.
- London's Nightingale Hospital, a special hospital built for COVID patients, reopened.
13 January – Education Secretary Gavin Williamson suggested that students might take mini-exams to help teachers decide their grades.
15 January – Professor Chris Whitty predicted that hospital admissions would reach their highest point in the next seven to ten days.
17 January –
- Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the government aimed to offer every adult their first COVID vaccine by September. He hoped some lockdown rules could be eased by March.
- NHS England Chief Executive Sir Simon Stevens said that 140 COVID injections were being given every minute.
- The next phase of the vaccine program began, with people aged 70 and over, and those who were very vulnerable, starting to get vaccine offers.
18 January – Ten more large vaccination centers opened in England.
19 January – Figures showed that about one in eight people in England had been infected with COVID by December 2020.
20 January – The government paused the plan for daily mass testing in secondary schools because the benefits were unclear with the new variant of COVID.
21 January –
- Home Secretary Priti Patel announced that fines of £800 would be introduced for anyone attending a house party with more than 15 people in England.
- Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said schools would get two weeks' notice before reopening. He hoped they would open before Easter.
- Devices called pulse oximeters, which measure oxygen levels, were given to high-risk COVID patients to help detect a dangerous part of the virus called "silent hypoxia."
27 January – Prime Minister Johnson told Parliament that schools in England would not return after the February half-term. He hoped they could start reopening from 8 March.
29 January – New rules came into force, giving £800 fines for house parties with over fifteen people.
31 January – Dr Susan Hopkins from Public Health England said England's lockdown should be eased "very slowly, very cautiously."

February 2021: Vaccines and Reopening Plans

1 February –
- NHS England confirmed that every older care home resident in England had been offered a COVID vaccine.
- Health Secretary Matt Hancock said that about 80,000 people in certain areas would be asked to take tests for the South African COVID-19 variant.
2 February – Matt Hancock told Parliament that people in areas with the South African COVID variant should get tested and stay home.
4 February – It was reported that some teaching staff in London were able to book COVID vaccinations meant for health workers.
6 February – Testing for the South African COVID variant began in Worcestershire.
7 February – Companies with over 50 employees who could not work from home became eligible for quick lateral flow tests.
8 February –
- Extra testing would start in parts of Manchester after new cases of a mutated virus were found.
- Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam asked people aged 70 and over who had not received a vaccine to contact the NHS.
- Sir Kevan Collins, England's new Education Recovery Commissioner, said that students would need more learning hours and activities to make up for missed education.
9 February – Jonathan Van-Tam warned people against booking summer holidays abroad, saying it was too uncertain.
11 February – Figures showed that over 224,000 people had been waiting 12 months or longer for routine hospital treatment in December 2020, the highest since 2008.
12 February – Sir Simon Stevens of NHS England said England was on track to offer the top four priority groups their first COVID vaccine by 15 February.
13 February – Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was "optimistic" about setting out plans for reopening society later in the month.
15 February –
- People aged 65–69 and those aged 16–64 who were clinically vulnerable were invited to book their COVID vaccinations.
- A new system began where travelers from "red list" countries had to pay for 11 nights in a special hotel.
16 February – An extra 1.7 million people were expected to be asked to shield (stay home) from COVID-19. These people would be prioritized for vaccination.
17 February –
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson said England's lockdown strategy would be based on "data not dates."
- Anne Longfield, the Children's Commissioner for England, asked the government to focus on vulnerable children in their plans for recovery.
18 February – A study showed that COVID-19 infections in England had fallen by two-thirds since January.
19 February – Teaching unions said it would be "reckless" to reopen all schools in England on 8 March.
20 February – Care home residents would be allowed one indoor visitor from 8 March. Visitors would need a negative COVID test and wear protective gear.
22 February –
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a four-step plan to end coronavirus rules in England by 21 June.
  - Schools and colleges would reopen on 8 March.
  - Outdoor gatherings of up to six people would restart from 29 March.
  - Non-essential shops, hairdressers, gyms, and outdoor dining would reopen on 12 April.
  - Two households could mix indoors from 17 May.
  - Most legal limits on social contact would be lifted by 21 June.
- Johnson said the plan was "cautious but irreversible" and based on "data not dates."
- A mass testing program was announced for all secondary schools in England, with home testing twice a week.
24 February – Education Secretary Gavin Williamson announced £700 million to help students catch up on missed learning.
25 February – The exams watchdog Ofqual confirmed that GCSE and A Level results would be decided by schools using teacher assessments, coursework, and optional mini-exams.
28 February – Families of schoolchildren would be offered two free rapid COVID tests per week to help reopen schools.

March 2021: Schools Return and Roadmaps

1 March – Two million people aged 60–63 started receiving letters to book a COVID vaccination.
3 March – Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced £1 billion to help 45 areas in England recover from the pandemic.
6 March – People aged 56–59 started receiving letters to book a COVID-19 vaccine. Over 18 million people in England had received their first vaccine dose.
8 March –
- People traveling overseas needed to complete a "Declaration to Travel" document.
- Concerns were raised that secondary school students might be wrongly told they had COVID by rapid tests.
- The special NHS Nightingale hospitals would close from April, but those in London and Sunderland would stay open as vaccination centers.
10 March – Reports emerged of children being asked to self-isolate due to incorrect positive rapid COVID tests after schools returned.
11 March –
- More cases of the Brazilian COVID variant were found in England.
- Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that homeless people would be prioritized for COVID vaccines.
16 March – School attendance figures for the first week of schools reopening in England were almost back to normal levels.
17 March – People in England aged 50 and over were invited to book their COVID vaccination.
18 March – Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed he would receive his first vaccination the next day and encouraged others to get theirs.
23 March – New rules were published, including a £5,000 fine for unauthorized travel outside England.
24 March – Boris Johnson said that pubs might ask customers for a vaccine certificate, but it would be up to each pub.
26 March – The UK government announced that shops in England could stay open from 7 am to 10 pm when non-essential stores reopened on 12 April.
29 March – Movement rules were eased, allowing two households or six people to meet outside. Weddings with up to six people were also allowed again.

April 2021: Easing Rules and Trials

1 April – Hospitality groups criticized new rules for pubs and restaurants, saying they would make things harder for staff.
2 April – Police stopped a church service in London for breaking COVID rules, as people were not social distancing or wearing masks.
3 April –
- The UK government announced that care home residents could have two regular indoor visitors from 12 April. Babies and children would also be allowed.
- A "traffic light" system was announced to show the risk level of different countries for foreign travel.
4 April – Major football matches would be used to test having spectators back at large events.
5 April –
- Everyone in England would get access to two free rapid flow tests each week from 9 April.
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that pubs, restaurants, hairdressers, gyms, and non-essential shops could reopen from Monday 12 April.
9 April –
- Philippines, Pakistan, Kenya, and Bangladesh were added to the "red list" of countries.
- Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said people in England could start thinking about foreign holidays, but the cost of COVID tests needed to come down.
12 April – Extra testing was started in south London after a cluster of the South African COVID variant was found.
13 April –
- The Moderna COVID vaccine began to be used in England.
- The UK government said students could return to university campuses in England "no earlier than 17 May."
14 April – Extra testing was extended to other parts of London due to concerns about the South African variant.
15 April – Figures showed that 4.7 million people were waiting for routine operations in February 2021, the largest waiting list since 2007.
18 April –
- An outdoor music event in Liverpool's Sefton Park would be held on 2 May with almost normal conditions, allowing 5,000 people without masks or social distancing if they provided a negative COVID test.
- NHS groups warned that the huge backlog of operations could take five years to clear.
24 April – About 10,000 people attended an anti-lockdown protest in London's Hyde Park.
26 April – The vaccine program was rolled out to those aged 44.
27 April – Adults aged 42 and over were invited to book their first COVID vaccine.
29 April – Figures showed COVID infection rates in England had fallen to their lowest since September 2020.
30 April –
- Adults aged 40 and over were invited to book their first COVID vaccination.
- Nightclub events began in Liverpool as part of trials for mass gatherings.

May 2021: Hugs and New Variants

1 May – A government scientist asked people to be "patient" before the next planned easing of COVID rules on 17 May.
3 May –
- The government planned to lift the 30-person limit at funerals from 17 May, allowing more mourners if they could social distance. Wedding guest limits would rise from 15 to 30.
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested there was a "good chance" England's 1-meter social distancing rule could be removed from 21 June.
4 May – Care home residents were allowed to leave their homes for low-risk trips without needing to self-isolate for 14 days afterward.
5 May – A schoolgirl in Sheffield lost a court case trying to stop her school from requiring face masks.
10 May –
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the "single biggest step" in easing restrictions for England on 17 May. Indoor dining would reopen, and people would be able to hug again.
- Johnson also confirmed that face coverings would no longer be required in secondary schools in England from 17 May.
- England recorded a day with no COVID-related deaths.
11 May – The UK government confirmed that people who had both COVID vaccines could use the NHS app as proof of vaccination from 17 May.
12 May – Businesses in Bolton worried about easing restrictions as the area saw a new surge in COVID cases, especially the Indian variant.
13 May – About a million people aged 38 and 39 became eligible for their first COVID vaccine.
14 May –
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed the next easing of rules would go ahead on 17 May. However, he warned that the rise in the Indian variant could cause "serious disruption" to plans for 21 June.
- To fight the Indian variant, the time between first and second vaccine doses was shortened to eight weeks for priority groups.
- The Army was sent to Bolton and Blackburn to help with COVID test distribution.
16 May – Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a local lockdown in Bolton had not been ruled out to control the Indian variant.
17 May –
- Restrictions were eased, allowing indoor dining to reopen for groups of up to six people. Bingo halls also reopened.
- Over 6,000 vaccinations were given in the Bolton area over the weekend to control the Indian variant.
18 May – People in England aged 37 became eligible for their first COVID vaccine.
19 May – The vaccination program was extended to those aged 36 in England.
20 May – People aged 34 and 35 were invited to book their first COVID vaccine.
22 May – England's vaccination program was extended to people aged 32 and 33.
26 May – People in England aged 30 and 31 were invited to book their first COVID vaccine.
27 May – Prime Minister Boris Johnson said data showed the final lifting of restrictions on 21 June could still happen.
31 May – A pop-up vaccination center at Twickenham Stadium offered walk-in vaccinations to anyone over 18, breaking the national rule.

June 2021: Delay and Vaccinations for All Adults

1 June – The UK recorded zero COVID-19 deaths in a 24-hour period for the first time since March 2020.
2 June –
- Prime Minister Boris Johnson still saw "nothing in the data" to delay the 21 June date for lifting restrictions.
- The UK government announced a £1.4 billion plan to help students catch up on missed education. However, headteachers criticized it as not enough, and the Education Recovery Commissioner resigned.
6 June – Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Indian variant was 40% more easily spread, but two vaccine doses worked well against it.
8 June –
- England's vaccination program was extended to adults aged 25–29.
- Greater Manchester and parts of Lancashire received extra support, including military help, to tackle the Indian variant. People were advised to meet outdoors and avoid traveling.
10 June – Data showed that hospital waiting lists in England had gone over five million for the first time.
11 June – Health officials suggested delaying the 21 June easing of restrictions.
14 June – Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that England's easing of restrictions planned for 21 June would be delayed by four weeks, until 19 July. The limit on wedding guests was removed.
15 June – People aged 23 and 24 became eligible to book their first COVID vaccination.
16 June –
- The vaccine rollout opened to those aged 21 and 22 in England.
- COVID vaccinations would become required for care home workers in England.
18 June – About 1.5 million people aged 18, 19, and 20 became eligible for their first COVID vaccination.
21 June – Prime Minister Boris Johnson said things were "looking good" for lifting restrictions on 19 July.
25 June – A study of nine pilot events with 58,000 people found no major COVID spread, with only 28 cases detected.
26 June – The "Grab a Jab" initiative turned hundreds of places like stadiums and shopping centers into temporary vaccination centers.
28 June – Health Secretary Sajid Javid said the government saw no reason to go beyond the 19 July date for lifting restrictions.
29 June – Ministers suggested that the "bubble system" in schools, where whole groups self-isolated, could be stopped in the autumn.
30 June – Education Secretary Gavin Williamson wanted to end the school bubble system.

July 2021: Freedom Day and "Pingdemic"

1 July – Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he would announce the final step of easing restrictions soon and hoped life would return to normal.
3 July – As COVID cases rose, the British Medical Association asked for some COVID rules to stay in place in England after 19 July.
6 July – England's Cricket team had to name a new squad because the original team had to self-isolate due to positive COVID tests.
8 July –
- The UK government confirmed that fully vaccinated UK residents arriving in England from "amber list" countries would no longer need to quarantine after 19 July.
- Hospitals in Leeds postponed planned surgeries due to a rise in COVID cases.
10 July – Ministers were considering allowing fully vaccinated NHS staff in England to avoid self-isolation if contacted by contact tracing.
12 July –
- Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed almost all COVID restrictions would be removed in England on 19 July.
- Public exams for secondary school students would return in 2022.
13 July –
- Mayor of London Sadiq Khan confirmed that face coverings would still be required on London's transport network after 19 July.
- Parliament voted to make COVID vaccination compulsory for care home staff in England from October 2021.
- Almost 1.5 million students were absent from school due to self-isolation.
15 July – Outdoor dining and drinking permits would continue for another year to help the hospitality industry.
17 July – Children aged 2–16, adults over 50, and at-risk groups would be offered a flu vaccine in the winter to help fight both COVID and flu.
19 July –
- The final stage of COVID restrictions were lifted in England. Nightclubs reopened, and social distancing rules ended. Wearing face coverings was no longer required by law.
- The UK government announced that people entering nightclubs and other large venues would need to be fully vaccinated from the end of September 2021.
20 July – Official figures showed that 1.7 million students (23.3%) were absent from school in England during the week of 12–16 July. Over a million were off for COVID-related reasons.
21 July – A shortage of workers due to the "pingdemic" (people being told to self-isolate by the NHS app) was affecting rubbish collections in some areas.
26 July – A survey showed that 40% of adults in England gained weight during lockdown.
29 July – Some nightclubs in England started asking customers for an NHS COVID Pass (proof of vaccination) to enter.
31 July – It was reported that ministers were no longer planning to make full vaccination compulsory for university lecturers in England.

August 2021: Back to School Concerns

6 August – England’s R number (how fast the virus is spreading) was estimated to be between 0.8 and 1.1, a decrease from the previous week.
7 August – Students at the University of Sussex who were fully vaccinated could win £5,000.
12 August – Figures showed a record number of people (5.45 million) were waiting for NHS hospital treatment in England.
15 August – The UK government confirmed that all 16 and 17-year-olds in England would be offered a COVID vaccine by 23 August.
17 August – Six teaching unions asked the Education Secretary for urgent action on better ventilation in schools due to worries about rising COVID cases when students returned.
19 August – Official figures showed that two areas in Newquay, Cornwall, had some of the highest COVID rates in England.
24 August – As COVID cases rose in Cornwall, the county's tourist board asked people to stay away unless they had pre-booked holidays.
25 August – Data showed that COVID cases in South West England were highest among those aged 15–24.
26 August – NHS organizations in England were told to prepare for possibly extending the COVID vaccination program to 12–15-year-olds.
27 August –
- Cornwall and other South West areas received extra government help to control rising COVID cases. This included mandatory face coverings for school and college students in communal areas.
- Scientists advising the UK government believed it was "highly likely" there would be high levels of COVID in schools in England by the end of September.

September 2021: Boosters and "Plan B"

2 September – Dr Yvonne Doyle, medical director of Public Health England, said schools were not "drivers" or "hubs" of COVID infection.
5 September – Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi confirmed that proof of vaccination would be required for nightclubs and other indoor venues in England from the end of September.
6 September – The UK government confirmed the NHS in England would get an extra £5.4 billion to help with the COVID backlog and pandemic response.
7 September – Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new Health and Social Care Tax to deal with the COVID backlog and improve social care in England.
8 September – Official figures showed that people in the north of England were 17% more likely to die from COVID-related illnesses.
9 September – Figures showed that 5.6 million people were on NHS England's waiting lists in July.
12 September – Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed plans to require proof of vaccination for nightclubs and other venues in England had been stopped.
14 September – Boris Johnson discussed plans to focus on vaccine boosters and vaccinating children aged 12–15. He mentioned a "plan B" (like bringing back mask rules) if cases surged again, to avoid another lockdown.
24 September –
- England's R number fell slightly to between 0.8 and 1.0.
- Some schools in Corby and Kettering brought back face mask requirements due to rising COVID cases.
30 September –
- Data showed that face-to-face GP appointments in England had not changed much since the winter lockdown.
- The UK government confirmed that GCSE and A Level exam grades in England would return to pre-COVID levels over the next two years.

October 2021: School Cases Rise

1 October – The UK government confirmed that GCSE and A-level grades in England would return to pre-pandemic levels over the next two years. Public exams would be held in 2022.
4 October – Parents of children aged 12–15 in Northamptonshire were urged to get their children vaccinated due to high COVID cases.
5 October –
- Figures showed that the number of students absent from school in England due to COVID-related reasons rose significantly.
- A school in Brigg, North Lincolnshire, reintroduced "bubbles" due to high COVID cases.
7 October – Schools in Cambridgeshire were asked to bring back compulsory face masks for students.
8 October – Figures showed an increase in COVID infections in English secondary schools, with one in 14 students believed to have the virus.
21 October –
- A hospital trust in Cornwall declared a critical incident due to high pressure.
- Greater Manchester cancelled its council-run bonfires due to COVID.
24 October – New rules allowed fully vaccinated travelers returning to England to take quick lateral flow tests instead of PCR tests.
31 October – Health officials from NHS England would visit about 800 schools to speed up the vaccination program for 12–15-year-olds.

November 2021: Boosters and Omicron

1 November – Cambridgeshire and Peterborough councils became "enhanced response areas" with extra government support to tackle high COVID rates.
2 November – Diwali celebrations returned to Leicester after being cancelled in 2020.
4 November – Birmingham's German Christmas Market returned after being cancelled in 2020.
5 November – England's R number was estimated to be between 0.9 and 1.1.
8 November – Doctors worried about the number of older people who had not yet received a booster vaccine.
18 November – Data showed COVID cases in England were highest among children aged 5–9.
22 November – People aged over 40 in England became eligible to book their COVID booster vaccination.
23 November – COVID advice was updated, urging people to take a lateral flow test if they expected to be in a "high risk situation."
29 November – Secondary school students in England were "strongly advised" to wear face coverings in communal areas.
30 November –
- Rules about face coverings in England and PCR tests for travelers came into force to fight the new Omicron COVID variant.
- Prime Minister Johnson announced that all adults in England over 18 would be eligible for a vaccine booster by the end of January 2022.

December 2021: Plan B and Test Shortages

4 December – GP surgeries in England were allowed to delay non-urgent health checks for over-75s to focus on providing booster vaccines.
8 December – Prime Minister Johnson announced "plan B" measures due to the Omicron variant:
- From 10 December, masks were required in cinemas, theaters, and similar indoor places.
- From 13 December, employees were advised to work from home if possible.
- From 15 December, people entering nightclubs and large events needed to show an NHS COVID Pass.
30 December – The Welsh Government announced that Wales would lend England four million lateral flow tests to help with the current shortage.