France avoids the ‘red list’ despite surging infection rates

least May 17. Millions were able to enjoy their first real taste of freedom in months yesterday, with many taking to golf courses, swimming pools, tennis courts and gardens as the lockdown easing coincided with a mini heatwave.

At a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson said it was a ‘big day’ for the millions who had been unable to see friends or play sport. The Prime Minister also counselled caution and warned of an ‘uptick’ in cases as restrictions were relaxed.

A minister said the Government was taking ‘baby steps’ toward lifting the crippling lockdown. But Steve Baker, deputy chairman of the 70-strong Covid Recovery Group of Tory MPs, said: ‘Ministers’ monomaniacal focus on Covid cases is leaving us stuck with these roadmap dates, despite the fact that the vaccine has clearly broken the link between cases, hospitalisations and deaths. It is fiendishly frustrating when so many people are suffering so greatly from the restrictions.’

Rob Pitcher, chief executive of Revolution Bars, which has 70 venues, said: ‘With the data being so positive there is a real need for the timetable to be re-examined. Everything should be brought forward so that we’re getting the economy moving at the earliest, and safest, opportunity.’

Itsu food chain founder Julian Metcalfe said: ‘All the Government can do is promise the country they’ll stick to the data and the facts, and the facts say there is a lot to celebrate with the vaccine and the numbers, which are absolutely plummeting.

‘Every week makes an enormous difference to us and everybody on the high street.’ Their calls came as:

■ Mr Johnson announced that a further 60million vaccine doses will be produced at sites in the UK;

■ Forty MPs wrote to the PM urging him not to delay the ban on travel beyond May 17;

■ Chief medical officer Chris Whitty warned grandparents not to hug grandchildren even if they have had both doses of the vaccine;

■ Downing Street said the Government was ‘on track’ to continue lifting the lockdown in line with the roadmap;

■ Professor Whitty stressed the importance of not mixing indoors, saying the risks of transmission were ‘massively lower’ outside;

■ He also said care home staff had a ‘professional responsibility’ to get inoculated;

■ The PM refused to rule out the possibility of another lockdown this winter;

■ Health secretary Matt Hancock insisted ‘the door is not shut’ to families taking foreign holidays this summer;

■ No 10 hinted that Britain will not donate vaccines to Ireland or other EU states until all UK adults have been offered the jab. The next easing of restrictions is scheduled for April 12, when non- essential shops,

hairdressers and gyms are allowed to reopen and pubs and restaurants can open outdoors. But it is not until May 17, that pubs and restaurants can open to customers inside with social distancing restrictions. Hotels are also shut until then.

But Mr Johnson last night again raised fears that a third wave of the virus in Europe could make its way to the UK.

He said: ‘Historically, at least there has been a time lag and then we have had a wave ourselves. That’s why I stress the importance of everybody maintaining the discipline people have shown for so long.’

Four of the seven NHS England regions – London, the South East, South West, and

East of England – recorded no deaths from the virus on Sunday. The milestone provides clear evidence of the success of the UK’s vaccination programme.

With all of the most vulnerable now immunised, the number of over-65s testing positive for Covid-19 has fallen below 200 a day. And cases among over-80s are averaging just 78 a day, after topping 3,000 in early January.

In London – once the centre of the epidemic – there were more than 200 deaths a day in mid- January. But on Sunday the capital recorded none, for only the second time this year. Cases and hospitalisations have also plunged to their lowest levels since September, and doctors yesterday spoke of the ‘wonderful feeling’ as pressure on the NHS lifts. Just 4,560 Covid patients are in hospital, down from 39,249 in mid- January.

It means wards which were converted into intensive care beds can now go back to being used for routine care.

However Sir Patrick Vallance, chief scientific adviser, said caution was necessary as vaccines were not ‘100 per cent protective’.

He told the Downing Street press conference: ‘If the rates were much higher then obviously the amount of hospitalisation would be higher, which reinforces the point that the thing that we need to do is try and keep rates down and be sensible, as we unlock.’

MINISTERS have decided against forcing all arrivals from France to quarantine in hotels for ten days.

The country has avoided being put on the UK’s ‘red list’ despite worrying rates of infection.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: ‘We obviously keep all of our measures at the border under constant review and as we have done throughout the pandemic, we will not hesitate to introduce tougher restrictions if necessary.’

Anyone coming from a ‘red list’ country must quarantine in an airport hotel for ten days. Some 35 countries are on the list, including much of South America, South Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

Foreign nationals are prohibited entry to the UK if they have been in any of these nations over the previous ten days, and British residents must complete ten days of hotel quarantine. Adding France to the list would cause huge disruption as there is still considerable cross Channel traffic.

On Sunday, transport secretary Grant Shapps announced that all lorry drivers entering England faced compulsory Covid-19 tests.