The Health Secretary has confirmed that the move to Step Four of lockdown reopening will go ahead next Monday.

However the move will see people to “return to work gradually” if they are currently based at home and Sadiq Javid told the House of Commons that people should meet outdoors if possible, and it is “expected and recommended that people wear face coverings… in crowded indoor settings like public transport.

“On the basis of the evidence in front of us we do not believe infection rates will put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.” the Health Secretary added.

He cited the fact that over-65s last week made up 31% of hospital admissions, compared with 61% in January – an illustration of the vaccine programme’s success

“This is not the end of the road.” he told MP’s “It’s the start of a new phase of continued caution while we live with this virus and we manage the risks,”

The measures next week would be “taking us a step closer to the life we used to live” and the nation has already made “huge advances”.

Labour accused the Health Secretary of “pushing his foot down on the accelerator while throwing the seat belt off”.

Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, calls Sajid Javid’s plan to unlock next week “a high-risk, indeed fatalistic approach, trying to game what might happen in the winter”. and claimed that it risks more long Covid victims, significant increases in hospitalisations and pressure on the NHS.

But Mr Javid responds by saying “opening up is not without risks, just as ongoing restrictions are not without costs”.

At the 5.00pm press conference, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that now was the right time to be opening up but stressed that we cannot revert instantly to life as it was before Covid hit and that we shold proceed with caution.

He added that “as a matter of social responsibility, we’re urging nightclubs and other venues with large crowds” to use the Covid certification NHS pass showing proof of vaccination, a recent negative test or antibodies “as a means of entry”.

Chris Whitty told the Press Conference that scientists are agreed on most aspects of the government’s plan However he admitted that there is disagreement about whether this is the ideal date to open up. That is because there is no ideal date.

 

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