Daily US Times: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced lockdown ease, as part of the most significant relaxation of coronavirus restrictions since they were imposed three months ago.
Mr Johnson’s announcement allows English pubs will be able to serve warm beer again from July 4.
But there are some regulations despite lockdown ease, customers’ contact details must be taken in advance. publicans must adhere to a strict set of social distancing rules, including the edict that customers must be served only at their tables.
Johnson said in the House of Commons on Tuesday that the country had been successful in slowing down the virus to a level where life could begin returning to the streets. Hair salons, museums, restaurants and cinemas would all be allowed to reopen.
He said: “Today we can say that our long national hibernation is beginning to come to an end and life is beginning to return to our streets and our shops.”
All hospitality businesses would be allowed to reopen, but they have to follow the guidance that would encourage limited contact between staff and customers. Johnson announced that hair salons could open with appropriate precautions, such as the use of visors.
In order to facilitate the reopening, England’s 2-meter social distancing limit would be cut to 1 meter if other mitigation measures — such as visors, face masks or protective screens — were in place.
From July 4, two households of any size would now be able to meet “in any setting inside or out,” but they have to maintain social distancing. The present rules only allow groups of up to six people to meet outside.
The Prime Minister acknowledged that the other nations in the UK Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland — would take their own approach, but said that all were seeing a similar trend in their coronavirus cases.
He also emphasized that these new measures would be not be enforced by legislation, but would be introduced as guidance. Mr Johnson called for “the British public to use their common sense in the full knowledge of the risk.”
Other amenities can reopen, as long as they are “Covid secure,” including hotels and other forms of accommodation, libraries, places of worship, outdoor playgrounds, community centers, outdoor gyms and indoor leisure centers and social clubs.
The UK has confirmed more than 42,000 deaths, the highest number of confirmed coronavirus deaths in Europe.
Johnson’s government has come under fire for a lag in its response to the virus, confusing messaging, and for taking a relatively relaxed approach to the country’s outbreak.
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