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- Boris Johnson reveals the timeline for lifting coronavirus restrictions in England.
- Schools to open from March 8, with all remaining restrictions lifted gradually.
- Indoor mixing will remain banned until May at the earliest with some restrictions remaining until the final week of June.
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Coronavirus restrictions on meeting people indoors will continue in England until the final week of June, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said, as he revealed the staged timeline for relaxing lockdown measures across the country.
The prime minister told the UK Parliament that his roadmap would guide “us cautiously but irreversibly towards regaining our freedoms while doing all we can to protect our people against COVID.”
He added that he hoped it would be a “one-way road to freedom.”
Under the plan, which will be subject to periodic review and dependent on the continued success of the country’s vaccination program, all children will return to school from early March with mixing in groups outdoors allowed from the end of March.
Indoor mixing will remain illegal until May 17 at the earliest, when hotels and other hospitality venues will also be allowed to reopen.
Some legal restrictions will remain until June 21 however, when Johnson's government hopes to lift all remaining legal restrictions.
March 8: Children set to return to school
All children will return to school from the second week in March, Johnson said. Upon return to secondary school children will be required to wear masks in all communal areas, including classrooms. However, this rule will not apply to primary school children.
Two people from different households will also be able to meet outdoors for recreational purposes.
March 29: Larger groups to be allowed to meet outdoors
From the end of March larger groups will be allowed to meet outdoors. Under the rules groups of six people, or larger groups from two households will be able to meet for recreational reasons in outdoor spaces. Indoor mixing will remain banned.
Organized sport will also return on this date.
April 12: Pub gardens and non-essential retail to reopen
Subject to review there will be a further relaxation of restrictions in the middle of April when outdoor hospitality, such as pub gardens, will be allowed to reopen as will all non-essential retail, including hairdressers. Indoor hospitality will remain closed, however.
May 17: Indoors mixing in small groups allowed
Indoor mixing will be allowed for the first time since lockdown began in England in early January. Under the proposed rules, which will be subject to review, groups of six, or larger groups within two households will be allowed to mix indoors. Most outdoor restrictions will be lifted, with the exception that all gatherings will be limited to 30 people at the maximum.
Indoor hospitality, such as restaurants hotels and cinemas will be due to reopen, with some social distancing measures remaining in place.
June 21: Lockdown measures will end
Under this plan, and subject to review, all remaining legal social distancing should end in the final week of June. Restrictions on large gatherings both indoors and outdoors, including live events and nightclubs should be relaxed or ended altogether, subject to a further review.