PM expected to relax social distancing measures tomorrow
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to reveal the outcome of a review into social distancing measures tomorrow, which could see the two-metre gap relaxed.
Non-essential stores have already been allowed to reopen in England, while some services will resume in Wales today. Meanwhile a mandate to wear face coverings on public transport comes into effect in Scotland.
Health secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday he believed England is “clearly on track” to ease social distancing measures. He also did not rule out the possibility that people may have to register their details before going to a pub or restaurant, which are expected to be allowed to reopen on 4 July.
“The proposals that we will bring forward are how you can safely, safely reduce the two metres with the sort of mitigations we have been talking about,” he said.
“I get the problems with the two-metre rule of course, ultimately there are problems with the fact that there’s a virus and the challenge for the country, for all countries is how to get as much of normal life as possible going again.”
Johnson is expected to discuss the potential easing of social distancing measures with the government’s Covid-19 Strategy Committee today.
Trade bodies for the UK hospitality industry have warned that unless the two-metre gap is reduced, pubs and restaurants may not survive even when allowed to reopen.
The average prediction of hospitality businesses for their trade prospects by December if they were limited by the two-metre rule was at just 38 per cent of 2019 levels.
That is compared to predictions of 55 per cent of last year’s levels if the rule is eased to one metre.
The World Health Organisation recommends a distance of at least 1m to avoid infection, but UK scientific advisers say that a distance of 1m carries up to 10 times the risk of being 2m apart.