First drink alongside a hot breakfast at the Royal Victoria Pavilion pub in the seaside town of Ramsgate, southeast England. “That is banging,” she said appreciatively.

England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are following distinct but broadly similar plans to ease lockdown. Britain has had Europe’s worst coronavirus outbreak, with more than 127,000 confirmed deaths.

Infections, hospitalizations and deaths have all fallen thanks to the lockdown, and a mass vaccination program that has given at least one dose to more than 60% of the adult population. The situation in Britain stands in contrast to many of its neighbors, including France, where new lockdowns have been introduced to combat surging infections and deaths.

Johnson and epidemiologists have urged caution, saying that many people remain unvaccinated and relaxing social distancing rules or allowing foreign holidays this summer could bring a new spike in infections.

Indoor drinking and dining won’t be allowed in England until May 17 at the earliest, and theaters, cinemas, nightclubs and most other venues remain closed, while indoor socializing is tightly restricted and foreign holidays remain banned.

The prime minister had promised to visit a pub for a pint to mark the occasion, but postponed the celebratory drink after the death of Prince Philip, husband of Queen Elizabeth II, on Friday at age 99.