Prime Minister Boris Johnson has revealed the Government’s plan for a ‘roadmap out of lockdown’ in a statement in the House of Commons this afternoon.
Boris Johnson said that we are only able to take these steps thanks to the amazing work of the NHS and thanks to the public for adhering to the COVID-19 rules.
The Prime Minister announced a target to offer a COVID-19 vaccine to all adults by the end of July.
Mr Johnson announced the following:
- Schools and further education settings will reopen to all pupils for face to face teaching on 8th March.
- You will be allowed to meet one other person from outside your household outdoors for recreational reasons such as a picnic or a coffee on a bench.
- Care home residents will be allowed to have “one regular indoor visitor”, but they must wear full PPE and respect social distancing.
- The “stay at home” order will remain in place until 29 March.
- Outdoor gatherings of up to six people from two different households can socialise outdoors, including in a private garden from 29th March.
- Outdoor sports facilities will also reopen from 29th March, so adults and children will be allowed to take part in organised outdoor sports again. That includes outdoor swimming pools, tennis and golf courses.
- The Stay at Home order will also be lifted on the 29th March.
- Hairdressers, beauty salons and barbers can reopen from 12th April.
- Non-essential shops, hairdressers, beauty salons, gyms, libraries, zoos, museums to reopen on 12th April.
- Pubs, bars and restaurants to reopen on 12th April but this will be for outdoors only.
- From 17th May, up to 30 people can meet outside, the rule-of-six inside. Weddings, funerals and wakes can resume, alongside large-scale sports events/performances, however, these can only happen with restricted numbers.
- From 21st June, all number limits on socialising removed, nightclubs may be allowed to reopen, and international travel could resume.
All dates moving forward will be based on four factors – vaccination targets, vaccines reducing hospitalisation and deaths, pressure on NHS and potential new variants.
We’ll have a full press release from the Government shortly.
