THE immunity of those who are vaccincated is the "critical test" of restrictions easing on June 21, the environment secretary has said.

Speaking on Sky News, George Eustice said that there hasn't been a growth in hospitalisations, and that whether those who are vaccinated are being infected is key. 

He told Sky News: “What we’re not seeing at the moment is that growth in hospitalisations associated with (infections) and that’s because we know that if people have the vaccine, particularly once they’ve had the second jab of the vaccine, it actually does give them immunity to this new strain that’s around.”

Meanwhile the director of primary care at NHS England told BBC Breakfast that they are doing "everything we can" to ensure lockdown will end on June 21.

Dr Nikki Kanani said: “This vaccination programme has always promised that if we have the supply we will keep rolling out the programme, and as you can see on this really momentous day we’ve continued to do so.

“My message to anyone listening today is: Please, please come forward. If you get the message, either for your first dose, or your second dose, because that is the best thing that we can all do to start to get back to the lives that we love and that we’ve been missing.

“But the actual (decision on) June 21, that’s one for Government.”