Why COVID-19 cases in UK have dropped even after lifting restrictions

COVID-19 cases in the United Kingdom have dropped, despite the ending of all restrictions -- and the world has been baffled as to why.

LONDON -- The British government recorded a drop in COVID-19 cases for the fifth day in a row Tuesday. Daily deaths rose slightly to 138, but for almost a week had been under 100. It’s a far cry from public warnings earlier in summer, when the country's newly minted Health Secretary Sajid Javid warned the nation of the possibility of 100,000 daily cases. Despite those warnings, the government lifted all remaining restrictions on social distancing and mandated mask-wearing in England on July 19. Prime Minister Boris Johnson's "Freedom Day” was criticized as an irresponsible move in the midst of a third wave driven by the highly transmissible delta variant. "A murderous policy," said Dr. Gabriel Scally, a leading public health expert at the University of Bristol. "Epidemiological stupidity," a World Health Organization official said. But then, cases dropped by around 40%, and deaths and hospitalizations have stayed low, despite the ending of all restrictions -- and the world has been baffled as to why.