On Wednesday prime minister Boris Johnson announced that the UK’s current lockdown restrictions would begin to ease from Monday 11 May, with picnics and sunbathing among the first activities to be allowed. Tara Pilkington gives you the rundown of everything you need to know.
As the stringent restrictions of the lockdown are due to be reviewed later today, with the details of this review to be announced on Sunday, the prime minister is expected to amend the current rules to allow people to leave the house multiple times a day, as long as they continue to follow social distancing rules for anyone outside of their households.
As we wait for further updates to be released, here is what we know so far:
- From Monday 11 May, the ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ slogan is to be ditched for the updated ‘Stay Safe, Save Lives’ slogan instead.
- Picnics, sunbathing and unlimited rambles are to be among the fist activities that will be allowed when the lockdown loosens
- Government sources have cautioned against expecting an imminent reopening of the economy, with one commenting that: “We just aren’t in a space of significant changes at all’.
- Communities secretary, Robert Jenrick, has said that there could still be localised lockdowns even as restrictions are lifted nationally to safeguard smaller, micro-communities who may see the virus take hold again.
- Head of the conservatives 2019 election campaign, Isaac Levido, is helping to draw up the communication plans for what Johnson is calling ‘phase two’ of the coronavirus crisis.
Scientific evidence suggests that transmission of coronavirus is less likely in open spaces, which is what had led ministers to focus first on allowing more outdoor activities as part of the initial steps to ease lockdown.
However, places such as pub beer gardens and coffee shops with outdoor seating are likely to remain closed for the time being, as it would be difficult for them to maintain and enforce social distancing.
Per the initial lockdown restrictions, the public have been urged to only leave their homes when they absolutely must, with reasons such as one form of exercise a day, shopping for essential goods and going to work if they cannot do so from home.
Significant changes to schools are also expected to be announced soon, with teachers and unions expecting that on during the update on Sunday, that 1 June will be confirmed as the start date for school to reopen, starting with children aged 10 and 11.
