Outdoor activities could soon resume
honorary colonel on his big day while a Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flypast of a Spitfire and a Hurricane was organised by the RAF to mark his efforts.
The gold badge is Blue Peter’s highest accolade and famous recipients include the Queen, Sir David Attenborough and Mary
LOCKDOWN restrictions could be eased for outdoor activities, officials have indicated as the UK’s declared death toll from coronavirus passed Italy’s.
The grim milestone was reached as official figures showed the death toll was more than 32,000 and analysis by the PA news agency found at least 140 NHS and care workers have lost their lives.
Despite the mounting human cost of the pandemic, ministers are confident the UK is past the peak of the outbreak and have begun drawing up plans for the eventual lifting of the restrictions imposed to stop the spread of coronavirus.
Downing Street indicated that “easements” were being considered – along with possible tightening of rules in other areas.
The existing lockdown restrictions are expected to remain in place following a review of the evidence due to be carried out by tomorrow, but Boris Johnson is expected to set out a “roadmap” of future steps later in the week.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon – who has been closely involved in UK-wide decision-making through the Cobra system – set out her own blueprint for lifting the lockdown yesterday. Among measures under consideration in Scotland were the prospect of joining a social “bubble” – a small, defined group of friends and family from different households – for gatherings, even if that was only possible outdoors.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman confirmed the possibility of easing restrictions outdoors was also under consideration in Westminster.
“Broadly, the scientific and medical experts have been clear that there is less likelihood of transmission of this disease outdoors than indoors,” the spokesman said.
“That will obviously be something we are considering as part of the review.” grandchildren, Benji and Georgia, in order to surprise him with the badge and to comply with social distancing measures.
Announcing that he had received the award, she told him: “We at Blue Peter think it is brilliant what you have achieved and what you have done over the past weeks.”
The Government’s route out of lockdown will depend upon the effectiveness of its test, track and trace programme, designed to identify cases of coronavirus and people who have been exposed to them.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock has dismissed concerns about the new NHS Covid-19 app which is central to the project and is being trialled in the Isle of Wight.
He said concerns about the app expressed by groups such as Amnesty International UK – which warned they are “opening the door to pervasive state surveillance” – are misplaced.
The prospect of the UK edging towards life after lockdown came as figures showed a total of 32,375 deaths involving Covid-19 have now been registered across the UK.
The official number of Covid-19 deaths in Italy, the European country which was first to experience the true horror of coronavirus, stood at 29,079 as of 6pm on May 4, according to the ministry of health in Rome.
But the full picture in both countries will not be known for some time, and Downing Street warned against comparing deaths across different countries.