U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced his plan for the lifting of lockdown restrictions in England.
The lockdown easing will come in a number of steps and will be data dependent at every stage, Johnson said. The first step will see schools in England reopen on March 8, while recreation in outdoor public places like parks — such as going for a picnic or coffee — will also be allowed between two people.
By March 29, people will no longer be legally required to stay at home but will be advised to continue to work from home where they can and minimize travel. Outdoor gatherings of two households or six people will also be allowed.
The second step will entail further lifting of restrictions, with non-essential shops, hairdressers and other places set to reopen from April 12.
By June 21, the government hopes to abolish all legal limits on mixing and to reopen the last sectors to remain closed, such as nightclubs.
Data, not dates
Johnson has repeatedly said that the relaxation of measures will be cautious and driven by “data, not dates.” However, he has also said he wants the lifting of restrictions to be “irreversible” as he comes under pressure from members of his Conservative Party to re-open the economy.
Nonetheless, the government has maintained that the easing must be done in stages to avoid any leaps in infection rates.
“Today I’ll be setting out a roadmap to bring us out of lockdown cautiously,” Boris Johnson said in comments released ahead of Monday’s announcement.
“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 prioritising ways for people to reunite with loved ones safely.”
Four key tests
Johnson said the government has set four key tests which must be met before Britain can move through each step of the plan. These are:
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Variants and vaccinations
The U.K. has been one of the worst-hit countries by the pandemic, with the fourth-highest number of infections after the U.S., India and Brazil. To date, it has counted over 4.1 million coronavirus cases and has seen 120,810 fatalities as a result of the virus, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.
It saw a sharp rise in cases heading into winter as a new, more infectious strain of the virus emerged in the southeast of the country. It has now become the dominant strain of the virus across the country, and has been detected in numerous countries worldwide, alongside other more virulent strains of the virus.
Some virus mutations have prompted concern among experts who worry they could render coronavirus vaccines less effective, although early data shows most candidates remain effective to a large extent and vaccine makers are already working on second-generation jabs to target variants.
Made with Flourish
One silver lining in the U.K.’s experience of the pandemic has been its vaccination response. It was the first country in the world to approve a coronavirus vaccine, the candidate from Pfizer and BioNTech, and to roll out the shot in early December to its most elderly members of the population, care home workers and healthcare and hospital staff.
It then approved and starting administering the AstraZeneca/University of Oxford jab, a cheaper vaccine that’s produced in the U.K. and is easier to transport and store than rival jabs, allowing it to maintain an enviable rate of immunizations.
