Time to enjoy yourself – safely

THE Prime Minister has urged the nation to support local businesses as the UK comes out of lockdown.

In the Downing Street press briefing yesterday, he said: “They are our local restaurants, hairdressers, libraries, museums, cinemas and yes, pubs – they are our hotels, B&Bs, indeed much of our tourism industry.

“All these businesses and their workers have put in an heroic effort to prepare their venues for this reopening.”

He continued: “The success of these businesses and the livelihoods of those who rely on them and ultimately the economic health of the whole country is dependant on every single one of us acting responsibly.”

The Prime Minister warned “we are not out of the woods yet” and urged Britons to “enjoy summer safely”.

He said: “The virus is still with us and the spike in Leicester has shown that – if it starts running out of control again this Government will not hesitate in putting on the brakes and reimposing restrictions.”

He said that anyone who flouts social distancing rules would be letting down “those businesses and workers who have done so much to prepare for this new normal”.

He said: “As we take this next step, our next step on the road to recovery, I urge the British people to do so safely. I do want people to feel that it’s safe to go and enjoy themselves and enjoy hospitality. But it’s got to be done in a responsible way.”

On easing lockdown, chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: “Either side of the path that we are on there are risks. We are going to have health problems, and economic problems, for sure. So, what we are trying to do is walk this narrow path. There is no perfect time, there is no perfect, exact way of doing it.

“What this is is an attempt to balance, as best we can, in a way that makes it possible for society to be as close as possible to normal, whilst living alongside this virus – which we will have to continue to do.

“This virus is a long way from gone. But, it is not going to be gone for a very, very long time.”

The Government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, said social distances should be enough to keep the pandemic under control.

“We need to make sure as winter comes, which is the big risk, that we are prepared to be able to deal with it,” he said.

The number of deaths involving Covid-19 in the UK has passed 55,000, according to the latest available data.