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Boris Johnson set to take England out of lockdown: All you need to know
In the UK, more than 17.5 million people have received their first dose of the coronavirus vaccine.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson will on Monday make a slew of announcements to gradually take the country out of the coronavirus lockdown that it has been under for over a month now. The UK was put under fresh lockdown on January 4 after new variants of coronavirus were found in parts of England.
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As many as 9,834 fresh cases of the virus were reported in the country on Sunday, down from the peak week in January when cases averaged almost 60,000 a day. More than 17.5 million people have received their first dose of the vaccine.
Here is all you need to know about the expected announcements that would take UK out of lockdown:
1. On Monday, Johnson will tell the House of Commons that as of March 8, schools will finally reopen across England, British government officials said, according to news agency Bloomberg.
2. Very limited return of outdoor social interaction will be allowed from March 29. People will be allowed to meet one-on-one to sit down for a coffee or picnic outdoors, and after-school activities outside can restart, officials said. The PM is expected to announce that outdoor gatherings of either six people or two households can take place.
Also Read: U.K.’s Johnson to say all schools in England to open from March 8
3. Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said that the expected announcements were a part of a cautious, slow and deliberate reopening. “We have to be careful, we want it to be sustainable,” he said, according to Sky News.
4. Downing Street stressed on the point that they wanted to give something to elderly and vulnerable people, now vaccinated, who have been kept apart from their families for nearly a year, officials said. However, if the Covid-19 situation were to worsen in the country, these relaxations would be pushed back and lockdown reimposed, they added.
5. In an emailed statement released Sunday night, Johnson said the government would be “cautious” in its approach “so that we do not undo the progress we have achieved so far.” “Our priority has always been getting children back into school which we know is crucial for their education as well as their mental and physical wellbeing, and we will also be prioritizing ways for people to reunite with loved ones safely,” the statement read.
