Boris Johnson addressed the House of Commons this afternoon, confirming that his Government WILL be relaxing Englands social-distancing rules from 2-meter to 1-meter-plus; allowing pubs and entertainment venues to reopen on the 4th July.
Boris Johnson claimed to form a ‘human shield’ that protected the country from Coronavirus! He also claimed there is no risk of a ‘second peak’; and that the ‘5 tests’ have been met.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson believes the time is right to allow people to come into closer contact following the COVID-19 pandemic; although SAGE, independent SAGE and opposition Ministers have all went public claiming the relaxation of the social-distancing rules are coming before the risk of Coronavirus has passed.
Confusingly, while the Prime Minister announced a relaxation of the social distancing and the end of the ‘2-meter rule’; this came with the caveat that while people should remain 1-meter-plus away from each other, they could also go a little further.
Today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that…
- Lockdown to be eased in England. All steps are reversible.
- Social distancing reduced to 1-meter-plus from 4th July.
- People are now asked to follow ‘guidence’.
- Any Two households can now meet in the same house.
- Pubs, cinemas, hospital and theatres and other entertainment business to reopen 4th July (Table service only, with contact details taken from customers.).
- Museums are to re-open on 4th July.
- Hairdressers and some other cosmetic businesses will open from 4th July.
- Hotels, B+B’s and Campsites will open 4th July.
- Tourist attractions will open if they can do it safely, including outdoor gyms and theme parks from 4th July.
- Nightclubs, watermarks, bowling alleys and other ‘close contact’ entertainment businesses will remain closes.
- Places of worship will open with social distancing including weddings for no more than 30 people.
- ALL CHANGES APPLY TO ENGLAND ONLY!
Rumours around the Prime Ministers ‘4th of July’ reopening of England’s pubs and entertainment venues have circulated Westminster for months. In May, Forign Secretary Dominic Raab told the press that the earliest pubs would open could be the 4th July. Media commentators had speculated that Boris and his team would use the 4th July date as a media stunt, claiming that the ‘UK will regain its independence’. It seems the rumours were true.
Previously, Englands Chief Medical Officer and SAGE member Chris Whitty told media the 2-meter social distancing advice would remain while COVID-19 is with us. The Independent SAGE group said that relaxing social distancing will “risk of transmission still too high to reduce social distancing rules indoors” and that the “daily number of new cases still too high, evidence needed that it has dropped to much less than 1,000 a day before relaxing rules”.
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