To give credit to Boris (even that makes me feel dirty), at least he's not filling us full of shit like this time last year.
We all recall the "2 weeks to flatten the curve" that went on for months and months from exactly a year ago.
I think if anything, he's being overly cautious instead. That way, when everything goes better than expected, he looks good and the country will be triumphant.
It's not really about the cases in the long run. It's about hospital admissions and deaths. And those are going down daily.
The use of lateral flow tests to weed out asymptomatic cases will help too before there are huge outbreaks- just today a child in a lower year group than my DC's was reported as a positive case, they had their lateral flow, then had the full test and as a result some other pupils will need to isolate for a bit until they've had full tests. Previously, it took until someone had actual symptoms to get approval for a test. Which gave outbreaks chance to gain traction.
Hospital admissions are done, with 8/10 testing positive being treated at home. Deaths are down over 80%.
The vaccine stops 100% of severe illness.
Once the other half of the adult population gets their jab, that's it. We don't lockdown for other illness which we vaccinate for, like flu. Whilst people will get covid in the future for most it will be no more irritating than a common cold, because they've had the vaccine.
It's why I've been telling everyone I know that when they get the offer of the jab, go get it. It's the only way out of the situation that puts us in this never ending cycle of miserable Lockdowns.
That's why the EU is really suffering, they let their political sulk get in the way of their route out of lockdown.