England eases COVID-19 curbs on 鈥楬appy Monday鈥
Print Edition
England entered the second phase of its lockdown easing yesterday thanks to a successful vaccination drive, but the government is urging vigilance as another wave of coronavirus sweeps Europe.
After schools reopened on March 8, England鈥檚 stay-at-home order has been relaxed to enable outdoor gatherings of up to six people, or two households, in what newspapers have dubbed 鈥淗appy Monday.鈥
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he hoped that yesterday 鈥渨ill kick-start a Great British summer of sport 鈥 with people of all ages reunited with teammates, and able to resume the activities they love.鈥
But in a video message posted on Twitter, he urged people to enjoy their new freedoms cautiously.
鈥淚t鈥檚 vital that we don鈥檛 overdo it and risk all the progress we鈥檝e made,鈥 Johnson said, in a nod to Britain鈥檚 much-reduced coronavirus infection, hospitalization and death rates compared to earlier this year. 鈥淧lease follow the new rules carefully so that we can gradually get back to normal together.鈥
In the third phase of reopening from April 12, the government plans to allow outdoor drinking in pub gardens, while hairdressers and non-essential retail will open in England.
Limited indoor mixing in hospitality premises will be allowed from mid-May, while many other remaining restrictions will be lifted on June 21, if the outlook remains positive.
The devolved governments of the United Kingdom鈥檚 other nations 鈥 Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 鈥 are moving at their own pace.
With more than 126,000 deaths, Britain has one of the world鈥檚 worst mortality rates from the pandemic. But the level of new infections has been falling since early January and is now averaging around 5,000 cases a day.
Meanwhile on Sunday the country passed the milestone of inoculating more than 30 million adults with a first coronavirus vaccine dose.
Britain has so far been using two jabs, developed by Oxford University/AstraZeneca and BioNTech/Pfizer.
The first batch of 17 million doses of US company Moderna鈥檚 vaccine is set to be delivered next month, easing concerns about a shortfall in supplies.
The government has insisted it is on course to hit its target of offering a first jab to all adults by the end of July, and that follow-up second doses are also on target.
While conceding that continental Europe鈥檚 latest wave of COVID-19 could hit Britain within weeks, Johnson said at the weekend that the 鈥渒ey difference鈥 was the country鈥檚 vaccination drive.
鈥淎nd as things stand, I can see absolutely nothing in the data to dissuade me from continuing along our road map to freedom,鈥 he added.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 娌狪CP璇侊細娌狪CP澶05050403鍙-1
- |
- 浜掕仈缃戞柊闂讳俊鎭湇鍔¤鍙瘉锛31120180004
- |
- 缃戠粶瑙嗗惉璁稿彲璇侊細0909346
- |
- 骞挎挱鐢佃鑺傜洰鍒朵綔璁稿彲璇侊細娌瓧绗354鍙
- |
- 澧炲肩數淇′笟鍔＄粡钀ヨ鍙瘉锛氭勃B2-20120012
Copyright 漏 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
