Covid: new lockdown rules could allow family gathering

Family gathering could be allowed by the new lockdown rules in the "phase two".

After more than a month being lockdown, Britons have been given a glimmer of hope over a return to something resembling a normal life. Boris Johnson announces that he will release the first steps to ease the restrictions aimed at beating the virus. There is one option on the table is allowing people to a family gathering and expand their “social bubbles” so they could see some friends even if the lockdown due to Covid is still active.

• READ MORE: Covid: how to make a surgical mask at home
• READ MORE: Covid: how to make a hand sanitizer at home

Covid: new lockdown measures could allow family gathering

However PM still warned that the UK was still at maximum risk from the pandemic and was not the right time to lift the lockdown. If we don’t be careful, it could lead to a second peak and thousands of fatalities.

Downing Street also warned that in some areas there could be a toughening of the restrictions, including a 14-day quarantine on new arrivals at British ports and airports. There are separate households, or couples who don’t live together may be able to spend time together. But grandparents who live in a different town from grandchildren would still have to wait until restrictions are eased further to be able to see them.

Ministers are expected to discuss plans to keep non-essential businesses can reopen in the weeks ahead. Mr. Johnson acknowledged there were signs the UK was “passing through the peak” of the outbreak and coming to the end of the first phase.
Still, ministers plan to recommend wearing face masks on public transport, at the shops, and in some workplaces. Some football matches and other sports fixtures could resume but would be played behind closed doors and televised.

Opening of schools is not expected to be addressed publicly before the next review on May 7, although there is some optimism among officials they could reopen in June. The business loan announced by Mr. Sunak will range from a minimum of £2,000 to £50,000 and firms must have been up and running before the start of March to be eligible.

Former minister Theresa Villiers urged him “to publish a road map to release from the lockdown so that businesses can start to prepare for a phased modification and a safe exit from the emergency measures”. Global stock markets staged a £400billion rally yesterday as other countries began easing restrictions. But the FTSE 100 index had a £550billion rise, despite our own ­lockdown not yet been lifted.

The Government is ramping up its “test and trace” strategy, with Matt Hancock claiming the UK was “on track” to deliver on his promise of 100,000 a day by the end of the week. But they hit just 29,058 tests yesterday. The Health Secretary also warned too many people who needed health care were not going to the hospital for conditions other than Covid-19.