MPs are to vote on extending emergency Covid laws in England for another four weeks, amid concern over rising cases.
On Monday, Boris Johnson said delaying the planned lifting of restrictions would give the NHS "a few more crucial weeks" to get people vaccinated.
Labour is likely to support extending the rules and the government is expected to win the vote.
However the opposition party has accused ministers of letting Covid variants in through "the front door".
Business minister Nadhim Zahawi said the government had "put in place some of the most stringent Covid border measures in the world".
On Monday, the prime minister announced that the final stage of easing lockdown restrictions in England would be delayed from 21 June to 19 July.
The announcement means pubs, clubs and theatres will still have to operate within capacity limits and nightclubs will remain closed.
And limits remain on how many people can meet up, with groups of up to 30 allowed to meet outdoors and up to six people or two households allowed indoors.
Restrictions on the number of guests allowed at a wedding will, however, be lifted as planned, but hosts will have to ensure social distancing can still take place.
The decision to delay the lifting of other lockdown measures followed a rise in cases, driven by the more transmissible Delta variant, which was first identified in India.
Government scientists said the short delay could lead to a significant drop in the number of Covid patients seeking hospital treatment.
'Devastating but not inevitable'
On Wednesday afternoon, MPs will get the chance to debate and then vote on extending the coronavirus restrictions.
A number of Conservative MPs have expressed concern about the delay and could oppose the government.
Mark Harper, chairman of the Covid Recovery Group of backbench Conservative MPs, said those in the risk group had been offered the vaccine and it was time to "let people make judgements about how to live their lives".
Another Conservative backbencher, Marcus Fysh, described the delay as a "disastrous and unacceptable policy".
However, even if some Conservatives vote against the government, the extended restrictions are likely to pass, with Labour expected to support the measures.
Speaking in the House of Commons on Tuesday, Labour's shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said extending coronavirus rules "is devastating but it was not inevitable".
"The Delta variant is here in such force because of lax Conservative border policy - and the fallout from that chain of events is enormous."
"Pakistan and Bangladesh were added [to the travel red list] on 9 April, yet the prime minister waited 14 more days before adding India.
"The responsibility for breaking the promise of 'freedom day' lies squarely with this Conservative government."
The opposition party had proposed moving all countries on the government's amber travel list to the red list - but the plan was rejected by MPs on Tuesday with 363 votes to 256.
Responding to Labour criticism, Mr Zahawi said "the data and the science" had informed the government's approach.
"Each of the measures that we have put in place - informed by the latest scientific advice - adds layers of protection against importing the virus, including through reducing the risk of importing new variants."
He added that the government had put India on the red list before the Delta variant was labelled "a variant of concern".
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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiL2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmJiYy5jby51ay9uZXdzL3VrLXBvbGl0aWNzLTU3NDg2MjI00gEzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuYmJjLmNvLnVrL25ld3MvdWstcG9saXRpY3MtNTc0ODYyMjQuYW1w?oc=5
2021-06-16 04:35:50Z
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