British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Sunday that the UK will be undergoing a “phased reopening”, following a decline in the coronavirus pandemic.
In a live address broadcast Sunday, Johnson said that Britain had “made progress” in the effort to combat the coronavirus pandemic, it “by no means fulfilled” all of the criteria necessary to end the ongoing lockdown.
“This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week.”
“We have made fast progress on testing – but there is so much more to do now, and we can. When this began, we hadn’t seen this disease before, and we didn’t fully understand its effects. With every day we are getting more and more data. We are shining the light of science on this invisible killer, and we will pick it up where it strikes.”
Johnson went on to lay out his government’s plans for a “phased reopening” of the country and the British economy, starting with expanded access to parks and other public spaces beginning this Wednesday.
“And from this Wednesday, we want to encourage people to take more and even unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise. You can sit in the sun in your local park, you can drive to other destinations, you can even play sports but only with members of your own household.”
Workers who are unable to work from home will also be “actively encouraged” to return to work.
“We now need to stress that anyone who can’t work from home, for instance those in construction or manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work.”
Johnson also said schools and shops would likely begin to reopen in June.
“In step two – at the earliest by June 1 – after half term – we believe we may be in a position to begin the phased reopening of shops and to get primary pupils back into schools, in stages, beginning with reception, Year 1 and Year 6.”
The tourism industry will only reopen in phase three, however, which Johnson said would take place no earlier than July.