UK government scientists looking at how to ease coronavirus lockdown faster for remote areas
The government’s top scientists are looking at ways of lifting the lockdown at a faster rate in remote parts of the UK that have very few or no coronavirus cases.
The chief scientific adviser to the Ministry of Defence Dame Angela Maclean today said location “was a huge focus” for government scientists when looking at lockdown restrictions and that the UK’s islands were “particularly interesting”.
Boris Johnson eased the government’s lockdown earlier this month as a part of a three-stage easing of restrictions.
The lockdown was eased for the whole of England, however Johnson said the government would consider making decisions on a regional basis in the future.
Restrictions have been lifted for more than a week now, however a further 545 people died in the UK from Covid-19 today bringing the total to 35,341.
When asked at today’s press briefing if the lockdown could be lifted for Britain’s islands or remote areas without Covid-19 cases, Maclean said: “I can tell you for sure location is a huge focus of ours at the moment.
“Islands are a very special case, which are particularly interesting, but there are also other parts of the country.
“The spread of infection across the country is quite diverse, quite heterogenous and that does of course raise interesting questions particularly as we get into this right down to what we should do about that.”
The government’s next phase of easing the coronavirus lockdown will see primary schools open and “non-essential retail stores” opened in England with social distancing restrictions.
This could be implemented as early as 1 June.
The next stage, which will be no earlier than 4 July, will see some parts of the hospitality sector re-open.
Johnson was clear when the road map was announced that if infections spiked then the government would act to re-enact parts of lockdown if necessary.