PM Johnson turns to economy, saying worst of COVID over

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Thursday the worst of the coronavirus pandemic would be behind us if the country is careful, meaning that the economy could recover "like a coiled spring".

"With every day that goes by we build higher the wall of vaccine-acquired immunity ... And with every day that goes by our economy is slowly and cautiously picking itself up off the floor, businesses are opening their doors," he said in a speech in central England.

"There is every prospect that this country is poised to recover like a coiled spring."