Coronavirus: People in England can meet in groups of six outside from Monday
People in England will be able to meet up to five friends or family members from outside their household from Monday.
Boris Johnson announced today that meetings can happen either in public spaces or in backyards and other private outdoor spaces, but a two-metre distance must always be kept.
“These changes mean that friends and family can start to meet their loved ones,” he said.
The Prime Minister said that people should not meet others from too many households in succession and to minimise contact “to prevent transmission”.
Today’s changes are not applicable to those in the “clinically extremely vulnerable” category.
The easing of the lockdown comes alongside the already announced re-opening of some schools and businesses next week.
Primary school students in reception, year one and six will return on Monday, while outdoor retail shops and outdoor car showrooms will also open.
On 15 June, more non-essential retail shops will open and students in year 10 and 12 will have some contact hours at school.
Johnson warned that some areas could end up in full lockdown again as local coronavirus flare ups inevitably occur.
“I have to warn you in all frankness as we go forward there will be further local outbreaks, so we will monitor what is going on very carefully, we will put on the brakes as require and where necessary we will re-impose measures,” he said.
“We will inevitably not get everything right the first time, but I must ask everyone to remember that it’s the same patience, same hard work and sacrifices from the British people in lockdown that have got us so far and allowed us to make the progress that we had.”
A key part of preventing a return of lockdown will be the NHS track and trace system, which was unveiled today.
Anyone in England with Covid-19 symptoms is now being asked to contact the NHS where they will get a coronavirus test and be asked who they have been in close contact recently.
Close contact is considered as being within two metres of someone for more than 15 minutes without any protective clothing being worn.
If the test comes back positive then everyone who has been in close contact with the infected person will be told to self-isolate for 14 days.
The government will monitor any increases in the rate of Covid-19 infections, with local lockdowns to be potentially enforced.