Johnson sets out plan for ‘normality’
BORIS Johnson eased the work-from-home guidance and paved the way for theatres and sports stadiums to reopen as he set out plans for a “significant return to normality” in England from as early as November.
The Prime Minister said that it will be up to employers to discuss with workers whether it is safe to return from August 1, as he detailed new measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic.
From that date, he said, most remaining leisure centres will reopen and indoor performances with live audiences can resume if pilots are successful, while trials will begin for sports stadiums to reopen from October. Mr Johnson also immediately scrapped the advice to avoid public transport in England and detailed plans to extinguish local outbreaks of coronavirus to avoid another national shutdown.
“It is my strong and sincere hope that we will be able to review the outstanding restrictions and allow a more significant return to normality from November, at the earliest, possibly in time for Christmas,” he added.
But the relaxation of the strict rules will bring the nation into a new normal, with mask-wearing and social distancing remaining essential parts of life for now.
The PM’S easing of the work-from-home guidance potentially pits him against his chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, who earlier said there is “absolutely no reason” to change the advice.
But the PM told his Downing Street press conference: “It is not for government to decide how employers should run their companies and whether they want their workforces in the office or not – that is for companies.”
In response to a question from the public, the PM said it “may conceivably be possible” to depart from social distancing measures “by November at the earliest”.
Chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty has previously warned that social distancing measures will need to stay in place until the discovery of a vaccine or highly effective drugs to reduce Covid-19’s severity.
Mr Johnson said Sir Patrick and Prof Whitty had taken part in a Cabinet discussion before the relaxation was announced but said “in the end decisions are taken by the elected politicians”.
From next month, wedding receptions for up to 30 people can resume, and bowling lanes, skating rinks, casinos and beauticians can reopen as long as they have measures in place to reduce Covid-19 transmission.
Meanwhile Stoke-on-trent’s weekly Covid-19 infection rate has continued to fall – but Staffordshire’s has increased.
The latest figures from Public Health England for the week ending July 12 show Stoke-on-trent still has the 19th highest infection rate in England, although its rate has fallen slightly from 11.3 to 10.2 new cases per 100,000 popuation. Staffordshire’s rate has risen from 6.1 to 7.7 cases per 100,000 – the 25th highest in England.