PM postpones Saturday lockdown easing for two weeks as coronavirus cases rise
The Prime Minister has hit the brakes on easing the lockdown for “higher risk” settings including sports venues, casinos, leisure centres and weddings, following a sharp spike in coronavirus cases.
In a press conference, Boris Johnson said plans to reopen venues tomorrow will now pause until at least 15 August.
Socially-distanced theatres and music venues will also remain shuttered despite initial plans to reopen tomorrow.
Wedding receptions of up to 15 people will be prohibited, although ceremonies can still take place alongside Covid-secure guidelines.
“We should now squeeze that brake pedal in order to keep the virus under control,” said Johnson. “I’m really sorry about that but we simply cannot take the risk.”
“We’re now seeing a warning light on the dash board and it’s right to react,” the PM added.
Working from home and compulsory masks
Face masks will become mandatory by law in all public indoor settings on 8 August, the PM said.
The new measures will require mandatory face coverings in museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship.
“I don’t want to tell people to spend less time with their friends,” Johnson said.
“But unless people follow the rules and behave safely, we may need to go further.”
The Prime Minister urged people to discuss with their employers whether they can work from home.
“That is a very important consideration,” he added.
If people don’t feel it is secure “that is a matter that can be enforced in law, and we will come down hard on people who don’t do the right thing,” said the PM.
Second wave fears
The move marks a sharp U-turn in plans to ease lockdown measures, amid mounting fears of a global second wave.
“As we see rises around the world, we can’t fool ourselves that we are exempt. We must be willing to react to the first signs of trouble,” said Johnson.
Chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty said: “What we’ve got to try and do is get to the absolute edge… in terms of reopening society and the economy without getting to the point where the virus takes off again.
“Because if you do too much in terms of opening up, the virus will come back.”
Whitty added that the government had to strike a fine balance to avoid “increasing unemployment.”
In a stark warning that stricter measures may be on the horizon, Whitty said the UK “has probably reached near the limit… of what we can do in terms of opening up society.
“We have to be realistic about this — the idea we can open up everything and keep the virus under control is clearly wrong.”
Rise in Covid cases
It comes as official figures released today showed a spike in the number of new coronavirus cases across England for the first time since April.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed there were around 4,200 new infections in the community per day between 20 July and 26 July.
“We just can’t afford to avoid this evidence,” the PM said today.
The UK saw its highest daily total of Covid-19 cases for more than a month yesterday. A total of 846 new cases were reported — the most since 901 cases were announced on 28 June.
Fresh lockdowns
The government last night introduced fresh lockdown restrictions in the north of England following the sharp spike in infections.
More than 4.5m people in Greater Manchester, East Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire were last night banned from meeting other households indoors.
Health secretary Matt Hancock described the move as “absolutely necessary”.
Earlier in the day, the UK’s four chief medical officers increased the self-isolation period from seven days to 10 days in England.
The top scientists said there was a “real possibility” people may continue to be infectious with coronavirus for longer than seven days.