BORIS Johnson has set out a three-phase plan to end lockdown restrictions in Britain without allowing coronavirus to rip through the nation.
The PM said this evening as each measure was slowly unlocked, the Governments’ scientists would be watching closely to see if they could release the next part of the plan.
What has the Prime Minister said this evening?
The Prime Minister said the country had been suffering terribly since drastic lockdown measures were introduced on March 16 but now was not the time to end the lockdown.
He said: “We have by no means fulfilled all of (the five requirements needed to end lockdown).
“And so no, this is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week.
“We must also recognise that this campaign against the virus has come at colossal cost to our way of life.
“We can see it all around us in the shuttered shops and abandoned businesses and darkened pubs and restaurants.”
Brits have been cooped up in their homes for almost two months with little promise of being released.
But Mr Johnson set out three phases which will allow people to get back to normal life.
He said: “We have a route, and we have a plan, and everyone in government has the all-consuming pressure and challenge to save lives, restore livelihoods and gradually restore the freedoms that we need.
“But in the end this is a plan that everyone must make work.”
What will happen this week?
The reopening of the nation will be done very slowly so that experts can monitor the rate of transmission – known as the R rate – of coronavirus and watch the impact of any relaxed measures on new cases numbers in the UK.
The first thing that will happen is Brits will be allowed some more freedom to spend leisure time outside from Wednesday – including sunbathing and picnics with their own household.
Mr Johnson said: “From this Wednesday, we want to encourage people to take more and even unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise.
“You can sit in the sun in your local park, you can drive to other destinations, you can even play sports but only with members of your own household.
“You must obey the rules on social distancing and to enforce those rules we will increase the fines for the small minority who break them.
“And so every day, with ever increasing data, we will be monitoring the R and the number of new infections, and the progress we are making, and if we as a nation begin to fulfil the conditions I have set out, then in the next few weeks and months we may be able to go further.”
It means that people who are unable to work from home – especially those in the construction and manufacturing sectors – will be urged to get started again to help the economy come back to life.
Return to classrooms
Phase two of the plan to ease lockdown will be to get kids back in classrooms.
Primary school children will be the first allowed to resume their learning – as early as June 1.
The PM said: “In step two – at the earliest by June 1 – after half term – we believe we may be in a position to begin the phased reopening of shops and to get primary pupils back into schools, in stages, beginning with reception, Year 1 and Year 6.
“Our ambition is that secondary pupils facing exams next year will get at least some time with their teachers before the holidays. And we will shortly be setting out detailed guidance on how to make it work in schools and shops and on transport.
A new normal
The final phase of the plan to end lockdown will be to allow part of the hospitality sector to open up.
But pubs, cinemas and mass gathering could have to stay closed until Autumn, because they are seen as a risk to spreading coronavirus.
Restaurants and cafes with outdoor seating where diners can be kept two metres apart could be allowed to open up in July.
Mr Johnson said this evening: “And step three – at the earliest by July – and subject to all these conditions and further scientific advice
“If and only if the numbers support it, we will hope to re-open at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places, provided they are safe and enforce social distancing.
“Throughout this period of the next two months we will be driven not by mere hope or economic necessity.
“We are going to be driven by the science, the data and public health.”
“And I must stress again that all of this is conditional, it all depends on a series of big Ifs.
It depends on all of us – the entire country – to follow the advice, to observe social distancing, and to keep that R down.”
“And to prevent re-infection from abroad, I am serving notice that it will soon be the time – with transmission significantly lower – to impose quarantine on people coming into this country by air.
“And it is because of your efforts to get the R down and the number of infections down here, that this measure will now be effective.”
