Masks and social distancing could stay after June 21

Raab says we’re on ‘last lap’ but warns...

BRITAIN is on the ‘last lap’ of the pandemic, but wearing masks and social distancing could stay in place after lockdown ends on June 21, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab warned yesterday.

He insisted the UK is ‘turning the corner’ as Covid recedes, but stressed ‘some safeguards’ may remain to ward off a potential further wave of the virus.

His comments come after Boris Johnson revealed lockdown easing measures are on the way, including scrapping the limits on mourners at funerals in a fortnight.

The Prime Minister also vowed to stop the ‘one metre-plus’ social distancing rule from June 21. However, Mr Raab was yesterday more cautious, saying taking steady steps out of lockdown was the ‘smart way to go’ and some social distancing may have to remain.

He told BBC1’ s Andrew Marr Show: ‘ We want to get to the position at the end of June when we can get life back as close to normal as possible, but there will still need to be some safeguards in place.’

Asked about measures after June 21, he added: ‘I think it will be around distancing – maybe there will be something around masks.’ Mr Raab told Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday: ‘ We’re very close now to really turning the corner.

‘I think we still need to be careful...We don’t want to see the gains lost and the sacrifices that have been made undone.

‘By the time we get to June 21 almost all social restrictions will be lifted, so there’s only a little bit more time to go but it’s right we do that in a careful way.

‘I do think we just need to make sure that in the last lap, if you like, that we are careful and we don’t lose the gains we’ve made.’ The Cabinet Office is leading a review into the future of social distancing, but no decisions have yet been made.

Abolishing the rule is seen as crucial for struggling pubs and restaurants and entertainment, sports and arts venues.

Mr Raab stressed the Government would publish a list of nations deemed safe to visit ‘shortly’ ahead of the expected go-ahead for international holidays from May 17.

Asked about plans to consider offering vaccines to children aged 12 and older in the autumn, he said ‘all the different contingencies’ are being looked at. He acknowledged that the rollout of vaccines has increased the temptation for social interactions outside households including ‘hugging your loved ones that you haven’t been able to do for a while’. But he urged people to show restraint.

Meanwhile, a major study using rapid testing could see self-isolation requirements eased for people who have been in contact with coronavirus sufferers.

Daily lateral flow tests will be given to up to 40,000 people.

Instead of the ten days of quarantine currently required, they will be sent a week’s worth of tests while continuing their normal lives if the results are negative.

The trial across England may provide greater evidence to reduce the length of time contacts of positive cases need to isolate. This will feed into efforts to restart social lives and reopen the economy.

‘Steady steps are smart way to go’