PM's COVID-19 plan to unlock England revealed with pubs set to open in 7 weeks.

Boris Johnson will begin unlocking England from 8th March in a months-long plan to end the national lockdown.

England will end the lockdown in four steps, whilst the government will continue to evaluate data on hospitalisations and vaccinations at every stage.

The prime minister will begin by opening schools for all pupils on 8th March and will allow one on one meetings between households outside on the same date. By the end of March the government’s order to stay at will be home scrapped, and the rule of six will return for socialising outdoors with up to six households. Outdoor sports will also be allowed again including tennis and golf.

The second stage of the unlocking will see pubs and restaurants reopen for customers outdoors in mid-April and non-essential shops opening. In May indoor mixing will be allowed in bars and pubs and gyms will reopen. Finally in June households will be able to mix indoors, domestic holidays will be allowed again and sports stadiums will open their doors again, though there will social distancing measures.

Boris Johnson is facing criticism for unlocking the country too slowly, whilst European nations are ending restrictions more swiftly than the UK. Meanwhile more than a third of Brits have been vaccinated, and new data has shown vaccines reduce hospital admissions by as much as 94%.

Steven Edginton, The Sun

Read more: UK lockdown roadmap – Boris to unveil ‘cautious’ plan to freedom but warns he’ll slam on brakes if key tests aren’t met - www.thesun.co.uk/news/14119243/covid-uk-lockdown-lift-boris-johnson-plan/

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