Government Roadmap Summary

23 Feb

Yesterday the Prime Minister delivered a statement to the Commons, detailing his Government’s plans to lift the lockdown in England. A summary of the statement is below.

The Government have also now published their roadmap which can be viewed here.

Prime Minister, Boris Johnson

  • Roadmap is plan to “cautiously but irreversibly” reclaim our freedoms
  • The measures will apply in England but Govt will work with devolved nations
  • We are able to take these steps because of British public and success of vaccination programme
  • No vaccine can even be 100 percent effective. Covid 19 will mutate.
  • Modelling by SAGE shows that lifting lockdown will result in more cases, more hosptilisation and more deaths. This would happen whenever as there will always be some vulnerable people who were not fully protected
  • There is no roadmap to a “zero covid” world.
  • This is why it is so crucial that this roadmap should be irreversible.
  • In England everyone in top 4 priority groups has been offered the vaccine
  • Aim to offer vaccines to everyone in groups 5-9 by April
  • First dose offered to every adult by end of July.
  • The level of infection is broadly similar across England and so we will ease restrictions in all areas at the same time
  • Outdoor activity will be prioritized and at every stage our decisions will be led by data, not dates

Road map will be measured against four tests:

  • The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully.
  • Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
  • Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
  • Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern.

We will review the data against each test

We want to give the country a week’s change before each change. There will be 5 weeks between each stage due to 4-week delay in data.

Step 1:

8th March: All schools will go back with twice weekly testing of secondary school pupils; after school clubs can restart; people can meet one other person in public spaces for outdoor recreation in addition to exercise. Advising clinically extremely to remain at home until end of March.

Each care home resident will be able to nominate a named visitor who can see them regularly, subject to testing.

Amend regulations to enable a broader range of covid secure campaign regulations for elections in May

29th March: Rule of 6 will return outdoors, including in private gardens; two households of any size will also be allowed to meet up outside; outdoor sports facilities will reopen; formally organized sport will return. People will no longer be required to stay at home, but people should still work from home where possible.

Step 2 will begin no earlier than 12th April with an announcement at least 7 days before they come in. This and subsequent steps could be delayed based on data.

Non-essential retail will reopen; personal care including hairdressers and nail saloons; indoor leisure facilities such as gyms will reopen as will holiday lets but only to be used by individuals or family groups.

We will begin to reopen our pubs and restaurants outdoors; and there will be no curfew and there will be no requirement to have substantial meals.

Zoos, theme parks and drive in cinemas will reopen as will libraries and community centres

Step 3 will begin no earlier than 17th May

Most restrictions on meeting outdoors will be lifted, subject to a limit of 30

This is the point you will be able to see your family and friends indoors subject to the rule of 6 or meeting of two households

Pubs and restaurants will be reopened indoors, as well as cinemas and children’s play areas, hostels, hotels, B&Bs. Theatres and concert halls will reopen, and sports stadiums will reopen subject to capacity limits

We will pilot larger events using enhanced testing

Step 4 will begin no earlier than the 24th June

We will aim to remove all legal limits on social contact and on weddings and other life events

We will reopen everything including night clubs and allow large events including theatre performances above the limits of step 3 potentially using testing

Govt will conduct 4 reviews

  1. Will review how long we need to maintain social distancing and facemasks. This will also include guidance on working from home which should continue where possible until this review is complete. Will be critical in also assessing when Parlt can return as normal.
  2. A review on international travel. A taskforce will report by 12thApril so that people can plan for the summer.
  3. This will consider Covid status certification in enable venues to reopen safely
  4. This will look at return of major events

They will extend provision of free test kits for workplaces until end of June

Support packages: We will not pull the rug out. For the duration of the pandemic the Government will do everything they can, and Chancellor will set out further details in the Budget next week

Next month they will publish a plan to respond to local outbreaks and we can’t rule out imposing restrictions at a local level if outbreaks.