UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given a speech in which he laid out a number of steps aimed at removing all Covid restrictions in England. If all goes well, life could gp back to normality by twenty first June. The so called road map out is a sequence of steps which will have to be gone through slowly to see how everything proceeds. If the rate of infection rises to high, some restrictions may need to be put back in place, however it is hoped that these measures will be a one way route to the country going back to normality.
The steps will have to be gone through slowly with a five week gap between each step, that is four weeks for the data to show the impact of easing any restrictions and one further weeks notice to the public and businesses ahead of any further changes it said in the road map document.
The road map contains four steps in which different sections of the economy will be reopened in each, just to see what happens and how well the infection rate or R rate readjusts its self to encorporate the extra number of possible infections.
The road map will begin with schools reopening for all children on 8th March. The decision to proceed on each stage will be based on data, not dates just to ensure how well the country is managing and to ensure that the infection rate doesn’t go too high. The Prime Minister also paid tribute to the success of the country’s vaccination programme. According to gov.uk, on twenty third February around eighteen million people have received their first dose of the vaccine while six hundred and forty two thousand seven hundred and eighty eight have received their second dose meaning that they are fully imunised and protected.
It is hoped that we can learn to live with Covid 19 and people will have to have a vaccine every year. There have been some mutant strains of the virus which have developed some resistance to the vaccine but it is thought that since we have a basic vaccine, if a new strain is found which is resistant, it can quickly be re-engineered to ensure that people can be protected against the new strains.
He also set out the latest vaccine efficacy data, with Public Health England finding that one dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine reduces hospitalisations and deaths by at least 75%. Analysis of the AstraZeneca vaccine efficacy continues, with promising early results.
The roadmap, which has now been published on gov.uk, outlines four steps for easing restrictions. Before proceeding to the next step, the Government will examine the data to assess the impact of previous steps.
This assessment will be based on four tests:
The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.
Also from this date:
Wraparound childcare and other supervised children’s activities can resume where they enable parents to work, seek work, attend education, seek medical care or attend a support group
Care home residents will be allowed one regular visitor provided they are tested and wear PPE
The Stay at Home requirement will remain, but people can leave home for recreation outdoors such as a coffee or picnic with their household or support bubble, or with one person outside their household
Some university students on practical courses will be able to return to face to face learning
Step 2, no earlier than 12 April:
Non-essential retail, personal care premises, such as hairdressers and nail salons, and public buildings, such as libraries and community centres, will reopen.
Most outdoor attractions and settings, including zoos, and theme parks, will also reopen although wider social contact rules will apply in these settings to prevent indoor mixing between different households. Drive-in cinemas and drive-in performances will also be permitted.
Indoor leisure facilities, such as gyms and swimming pools, will also reopen – but only for use by people on their own or with their household.
Hospitality venues can serve people outdoors only. There will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcohol, and no curfew – although customers must order, eat and drink while seated.
Self-contained accommodation, such as holiday lets, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen.
Funerals can continue with up to 30 people, and the numbers able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise to 15 (from 6).
Step 3, no earlier than 17 May:
Outdoors, most social contact rules will be lifted – although gatherings of over 30 people will remain illegal.
Outdoor performances such as outdoor cinemas, outdoor theatres and outdoor cinemas can reopen.. Indoors, the rule of 6 or 2 households will apply – although we will keep under review whether it is safe to increase this.
Indoor hospitality, entertainment venues such as cinemas and soft play areas, the rest of the accommodation sector, and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes will also reopen.
Larger performances and sporting events in indoor venues with a capacity of 1,000 people or half-full (whichever is lower) will also be allowed, as will those in outdoor venues with a capacity of 4000 people or half-full (whichever is lower).
In the largest outdoor seated venues where crowds can spread out, up to 10,000 people will be able to attend (or a quarter-full, whichever is lower).
Up to 30 people will be able to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals. Other life events that will be permitted include bar mitzvahs and christenings.
Step 4, no earlier than 21 June:
It is hoped all legal limits on social contact can be removed.
We hope to reopen nightclubs, and lift restrictions on large events and performances that apply in Step 3.
This will also guide decisions on whether all limits can be removed on weddings and other life events.
Currently, the vaccine programme is continuing at pace to ensure that as many people as possible can receive the vaccine and gain the protection they need to survive the virus. This has been very successful so far with the number of people receiving the vaccine.
If you’d like more information on the road map to removing all restrictions, please visit:
COVID-19 Response – Spring 2021 – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
