The further easing of lockdown restrictions in England that were due on 1 August, including allowing small wedding receptions and the reopening of bowling alleys and casinos, has been postponed for at least two weeks, the Prime Minister has announced.
Speaking from Downing Street, he said that the weekly survey by the Office for National Statistics reports that the prevalence of the virus in the community in England is likely to be rising for the first time since May.
Around 1 in 1,500 now have the virus, compared to 1 in 1,800 on 15 July and 1 in 2,000 on 2 July. The ONS also estimate there are now 4,900 new infections every day, up from around 3,000 per day on 14 July and 2,000 per day at the end of June
We can’t be complacent he adds, describing last night’s measures as targeted.We have to act rapidly to suppress the virus and apologised to people not being able to celebrate Eid as they had wished, but the risk can’t be taken, he says.
Employees should continue to work from home or in a Covid-secure workplace, he adds.
The further easing of lockdown restrictions in England that were due on 1 August, including allowing small wedding receptions and the reopening of bowling alleys and casinos, has been postponed for at least two weeks
Face coverings will be mandatory in museums,galleries,cinemas and places of worship from the 8th August.
There will be a greater police presence to ensure face coverings are being worn as required by law.
“Unless people follow the rules and behave safely, we may need to go further,we must all continue to wash our hands, cover our faces, keep our distance and get tested if we need to be tested,” he says.
The Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty says the country had to get “to the absolute edge” of what it could take in opening up the economy without the virus returning.
It is a “very, very difficult balancing act,We have probably reached near the limit, or the limit, in terms of what we can do in terms of opening up the economy.If we want to do more in future we may have to do less of other things, the idea we can open up everything and keep the virus under control is clearly wrong, he says
