But, really, who would've thought England would be preparing for post-pandemic life before Australia?

No longer will millions of people in England have to worry about "masking up" and all the other Covid-19-induced lifestyle changes come the "final step of the lockdown roadmap".

That final step, PM Boris Johnson said, is likely to be taken on July 19. That's in less than two weeks.

It will mean no more masks on public transport (but they're recommended in some circumstances); no more QR codes and table service at the pub; entertainment venues reopen; work from home rule relaxed; no need for 'vaccine passports' to go to the pub; and limits on outdoor crowds lifted.

Some measures will remain, but essentially the UK - with the seventh highest global death toll - is now all about "learning to live with Covid-19".

Confirmed cases have risen in the UK over recent weeks, driven by the now-dominant Delta variant, and the final step of lockdown easing was delayed by four weeks to enable more people to be vaccinated.

The take-up of vaccines in Britain has been strong, with 86 per cent of adults receiving a first dose and 64 per cent receiving two doses as of Sunday, government data shows.

Mr Johnson warned "we must reconcile ourselves, sadly, to more deaths from Covid" but added: "We run the risk of either opening up at a very difficult time when the virus has an edge, has an advantage, in the cold months, or again putting everything off to next year."

So July 19 for England is Freedom Day.

Meanwhile in Australia ... the nation's Formula 1 Grand Prix was canned for the second straight year; a woman who climbed two balconies and kicked down a door down to escape hotel quarantine was fined and NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will spend the night with health boffins deciding if they'll extend Sydney's two-week lockdown.

Suddenly summer seems a long way off in Australia ...

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