Two-metre rule replaced by ‘one-metre plus’ guidance
Venues welcome PM’S go-ahead for restaurants, pubs and cinemas to reopen, with conditions
Gordon Rayner
THE two-metre rule is to be replaced with a “one-metre plus” rule from July 4 to facilitate the next stage of lifting the lockdown, Boris Johnson has announced.
It will enable pubs, restaurants, cinemas and other businesses to reopen on the same day, and will change the way schools, shops, transport and workplaces can operate.
The Prime Minister told MPS the rate of infection in the community – as opposed to hospitals and care homes – was low enough to relax the social distancing rule, provided steps were taken to mitigate the risk of people being closer together. It brings Britain into line with World Health Organisation recommendations followed by most countries that have social distancing measures in place.
Mr Johnson said: “Given the significant fall in the prevalence of the virus, we can change the two-metre social distancing rule from July 4. I know this rule effectively makes life impossible for large parts of our economy, even without other restrictions.
“For example, it prevents all but a fraction of our hospitality industry from operating.”
A two-week review of the rule by scientific experts, who reported back to the Prime Minister on Monday, concluded that people would be safe to stay one metre apart but face coverings would be needed in some indoor locations, perspex screens could be used between tables in restaurants and al fresco dining would be encouraged to minimise the risk of transmission.
Mr Johnson said: “Whilst the experts cannot give a precise assessment of how much the risk is reduced, they judge these mitigations would make ‘one metre plus’ broadly equivalent to the risk at two metres if those mitigations are fully implemented.
“Either will be acceptable and our guidance will change accordingly. This vital change enables the next stage of our plan to ease the lockdown.”
Mr Johnson said people should still keep two metres apart wherever possible, but where that was not possible, “we will advise people… they should remain one metre apart, while taking mitigations to reduce the risk of transmission”.
Such mitigations include avoiding face-to-face seating, by altering the layout in offices, reducing the number of people in enclosed spaces, improving ventilation, using protective screens and face coverings, closing non-essential social spaces, providing hand sanitiser and changing shift patterns so staff work in set teams.
Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The reduction will support shops, which have faced limits to footfall and therefore spending as a result of the distancing measures.
“The reopening of restaurants, bars and other services will also help encourage people back to our high streets. This is vital to reviving our town centres and we hope the public plays its part in supporting our local high streets. Every purchase we make is a shop helped and a job supported.”
A Downing Street spokesman said: “After a long period of asking the public to follow very strict and complex rules, the Government believes we are now in a position to enable people to see more of their friends and family.
“The infection rate has fallen significantly in the first half of June.
Only one in 1,700 people has the virus, compared with an average of one in 400 a month ago.”
Cath Noakes, professor of environmental engineering for buildings at the University of Leeds, said: “It remains the case that two metres is safer than one metre, but in some cases mitigation measures can be taken to reduce risks at a closer distance.
“Business owners and employers should ensure that spaces are well ventilated, with air flow from windows or a mechanical ventilation system diluting any pathogen spread in the air.
“Duration of exposure is important. A brief exposure at close distance is unlikely to pose a significant risk, but prolonged duration in an enclosed space is much more risky.
Michael Kill, the chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, which represents nightclubs and live music venues, and lobbies government and local authorities to change their policies over licensing laws, rising property prices, and allowing new housing too close to existing venues, said the change from the two-metre rule was “welcome”. However he added: “While this is the green light for some venues to reopen, many of them will struggle to be profitable, even with the social distancing mandate reduced to one metre.”
The changes will only apply in England. Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, said that the two-metre rule would remain in place in Scotland.
She said she had asked her advisers to carry out a review and report back to her by July 2 on the circumstances in which it might be possible “to accept the risk of people not keeping to a two-metre distance”.
She said: “Until then, the position here in Scotland remains the same. We are advising people to maintain two metres’ physical distancing.
“Any changes announced today for other parts of the UK, while we will look at the evidence underpinning those very carefully, will not apply here at this stage.”