Boris Johnson is expected to outline his plans to parliament for the re-opening of pubs, restaurants, hotels and hairdressers and a reduction of the two-metre rule
It is expected that the Prime Minister will announce a reduction in the two-metre social distancing rule tomorrow.
The Labour Party have said that “under certain circumstances” they would support the government moving to a one-metre social distancing restriction.
In line with the UK government’s road-map for lifting the lockdown, the 4th of July will mark the beginning of “phase three” when some non-essential hospitality businesses can start to re-open, this will likely include restaurants and pubs.
The government has said that it will publish a detailed set of guidelines to ensure that these companies are “COVID secure” before re-opening.
Boris Johnson is due to seek advice from a group of experts before then finalising the changes on Monday, he will then be seeking approval from his Cabinet, as well as outlining the plans in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
But both Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Minister, and Arlene Foster, the First Minister for Northern Ireland, are considering a reduction in the current social distancing rules.
This comes after one in three NHS hospital trusts in the UK have recorded no coronavirus-related fatalities for a week, new research shows.
A Downing Steet spokesperson said: “The reason we are able to move forward this week is because the vast majority of people have taken steps to contain the virus.”
“The more we open up, the more important it is that everyone follows the social distancing rules.
“We will not hesitate to put the handbrake on to stop the virus running out of control.”
James Brokenshire, the security minister, has said that the UK government’s review of the current two-metre social-distancing guidelines would “fuse” both scientific and economic views in regard to lifting lockdown measures within the nation.
The security minister has suggested that a reduction in the two-metre restrictions could also be combined with other measures, including face coverings and separating barriers, being introduced in some places.
“I understand that real urgency, that desire – whether it’s for haircuts, whether it’s to go out and get a meal to be able to socialise,”
“It’s just that clarity on doing that in a way that does not impact or risk further issues around public health and, obviously, the second spike that we are determined to avoid.”
“So there is a lot that will be brought together in terms of all of those different elements.”
This comes as the UK is abandoning its existing NHS contact-tracing app in order to switch to new technology being provided by both Google and Apple.
Brokenshire added that the UK government would be “informed by experience from around the world” as it continues to lift the nation’s lockdown restrictions.
He added: “That issue on the second spike, that issue on the impact on the transmission rate – the R rate – is absolutely critical and why we are doing this with great care, with great thought and learning from experiences around the world.”
