BEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES
» PM promises ‘the end is in sight’ at last » Restrictions to lift in time for summer
MARCH 8 All kids back to school and care home visits
MARCH 29 Meet-ups in families and friends’ gardens
APRIL 12 Pub beer gardens and hairdressers open
MAY 17 Fans back in stadiums and cinemas reopen
JUNE 21 Last restrictions lifted ...return to normal life BORIS Johnson said the nation is on a “one-way road to freedom” as he revealed five key dates in the lifting of lockdown in England.
It starts on March 8, when all kids go back to school, and ends on June 21, when all limits on mixing are lifted. The PM said an “unparalleled” vaccine effort meant we could “begin safely to restart our lives”.
THE PM raised hopes of a “normal” summer with his announcement that he aims to lift all Covid-19 restrictions in England by June 21.
As he revealed his roadmap out of lockdown, starting with the return of all children to school and social mixing outdoors, Boris Johnson predicted that the success of the vaccine roll-out meant: “Today the end really is in sight.”
He told MPs: “A wretched year will give way to a spring and a summer that will be incomparably better.”
He later added that the “crocus of hope is poking through the frost”.
But in a dramatic shift in tone, he stressed that his approach must be “cautious” to avoid another lockdown. And he admitted he could not guarantee the measures would be “irreversible”, although he wanted them to be.
Tory MPs have urged him to lift measures by April 26 as more than 17.7 million people have received a first Covid jab. But experts predict another 30,000 people will die from Covid between now and summer 2022 – and many more if things go wrong.
The harshest “very fast” scenario demanded by Tory MPs could lead to anywhere from 52,500 to 146,400 deaths.
Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said there is a risk of “flying blind” if all restrictions went at once. He said: “It’s likely you get an increase in cases when you start to open up.
“The sooner you open up everything, the higher the risk of a big resurgence. The slower you do it, the better.”
Labour urged the PM to listen to the scientists and not his own backbenchers. Keir
Starmer said: “If he does not, we will waste all the sacrifices of the last 12 months.” There will be five-week pauses between each major step to let scientists assess the impact of each. There will be no return to tiers. No10 said the approach in England would be driven by
“data not dates” even though the roadmap included five key dates. As restrictions ease, there will be several Government reviews, including on social distancing measures such as face masks, hugging loved ones and home-working.
Millions of office workers are unlikely to return to their desks until June 21.
The PM said the success of the vaccine rollout, infection rates and the impact of new Covid-19 variants would all be considered before each new step is taken.
Ministers will also review whether vaccine and testing passports could help more businesses open safely. They previously said the measure for domestic use would be “discriminatory”, although it is expected for foreign travel.
Mr Johnson faced criticism for failing to confirm that financial support for workers and business would continue beyond April. He only said: “We will not pull the rug out. The Government will continue to do whatever it takes to protect jobs and livelihoods.”
He suggested there would be more details in next week’s Budget. But TUC chief Frances O’Grady said: “With jobs and livelihoods hanging in the balance there is no reason to keep workers and businesses waiting.”
Public Health England analysis revealed deaths and hospitalisations were cut by 75% from a single dose of the Pfizer jab. Officials said it is too early to share data on AstraZeneca’s but it is also “showing signs of a good effect”.
As the youngest pupils returned to school in Scotland yesterday, SAGE papers warned how vulnerable the population would be even after the vaccine rollout. Deputy chief scientist Prof Angela McLean said they are “very worried” people would ignore the rules.
Yesterday another 178 Covid deaths were recorded, and 10,641 new cases.
BORIS Johnson’s “one-way road to freedom” is littered with unnecessary corpses and we pray there won’t be more.
So, while he knows we all yearn to resume many activities currently curtailed or banned, the Prime Minister must not repeat the fatal irresponsibility that has cost families dear.
To throw away a golden opportunity created by what the Government’s Chief Scientific Adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, hailed as the “miracle of the vaccines”, would be tragic.
More mistakes from No10 will be paid for in lives as well as livelihoods.
A PM with a terrible track record – 120,000 are dead – must proceed safely, pushing ahead according to the data not the dates he has set.
Families desperate to hug grandchildren again rely on infections, hospitalisations and deaths to continue falling.
Johnson won’t be forgiven if he blows this chance for us to escape from Covid’s clutches.