England faces the sternest test of its vaccination strategy

ENGLAND IS embarking on a brave—critics say reckless—epidemiological experiment. It is seeking to end all social restrictions despite a large new wave of covid-19 infections. The British government certainly thinks it is possible to do so without incurring myriad deaths and overwhelming the National Health Service. From July 19th England ended all restrictions on its citizens, including the legal requirement to wear masks in enclosed public places. (Other nations of the United Kingdom set their own policy and are being more cautious.)

The decision is controversial. England recorded 289,000 cases in the seven days to July 18th, the highest number since January. That is just 27% fewer than the whole of the European Union combined. Official cases per head of population are the third-highest in the world and infections are doubling every six days.