Yahoo Finance What we know about the delay to ending Covid lockdown in England
The planned fourth phase of removing lockdown in England, due to take place on 21 June at the earliest, has been delayed for four weeks – with a few exceptions. Here’s what we know.
What has been announced?
As widely expected, Downing Street has decided to delay the final unlocking, which would have allowed businesses like nightclubs to reopen and lifted many other restrictions. This will now almost certainly not happen until 19 July at the earliest. There is a midway review point, which could see the change happening on 5 July, but No 10 has warned this is “unlikely”. No new rules will be reimposed, and there are some specific easing measures, notably to do with weddings.
Why has the decision been made?
For one reason: the Delta variant. Now dominant in the UK this variant, first identified in India, is between 40% and 80% more transmissible than the Alpha variant it supplanted, with infection numbers rising 64% week on week, and doubling by the week in some parts of the country. Hospitalisation numbers are rising 50% week on week, and by 61% in the north-west of England, with modelling suggested that if the 21 June easing went ahead as plans, patient numbers could approach those seen in the peak of the first wave of coronavirus in spring 2020. The verdict is that one of the four tests needed to be passed for step 4 to happen – no significant change to the amount of risk because of variants – has not been met, with another, on the prospect of hospitalisation levels, placed into uncertainty.
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What will the delay do?
Again, the reasoning is very simple: to allow more people to be vaccinated, whether with a first injection or both. The plan is to step up vaccinations, and by 19 July to have offered all adults at least a first vaccination, and to have offered two to all people agedover 50 or clinically vulnerable, against the earlier target of the end of July. The wait time between the first and second injection for the over-40s will also be shortened from 12 weeks to eight weeks. With two jabs shown to be especially effective in mitigating against serious illness, and even one playing a significant role in reducing someone’s propensity to transmit Covid, No 10 says modelling shows a four-week delay could thus save “thousands” of lives.
What’s happening with weddings?
Mindful of the fact that many people will have organised weddings for this period, and the impact on the weddings industry if they are cancelled, the current limit of 30 people at weddings and receptions has been lifted, and also for wakes. There are still rules in place. For example, tables are limited to six, dancing and singing is not permitted, and capacity will depend on the size of the venue, allowing for social distancing. This was already the case for funerals.
Any other exceptions?
The current rule by which care home residents who go out on a trip have to then self-isolate for 14 days on their return – one much criticised by relatives’ groups – will be scrapped. However, it will stay in place for people returning or coming into a care home from hospital. Also, pilots for mass events, including at arts venues and at the Euro 2020 tournament, will continue as planned.
What about the reviews into future rules?
Reviews into potential longer term social-distancing measures, and into the possibility of so-called Covid status certificates, which might be required to allow people into mass events, were due to have been published ahead of 21 June. This has now been put off to coincide with the new deadline.
Will MPs get a say?
Yes. The regulations governing the current restrictions were due to lapse on 30 June, and will be extended to 19 July. As it is a substantive change, MPs will debate the measures, most likely next Wednesday, and will have a vote. While a number of Conservative MPs will be unhappy, the expected backing of opposition parties means the measures will almost certainly pass. Ahead of this, on Monday evening the health secretary was to explain the revised plan in a statement to MPs.
What about the rest of the UK?
Public health is a devolved matter, and so varies in each of the UK nations – although Michael Gove, the Cabinet Office minister, has discussed the latest plans with the leaders of the other UK nations. Scotland has varying restrictions, from level 0 to level 2, and does not have a 21 June-style date to consider further reopening. In Wales, restrictions eased on 7 June to allow more people to meet indoors and outdoors, and to permit some mass outdoor gatherings, but some unlocking measures were delayed. Northern Ireland has similar unlocking measures to the rest of the UK, with a review under way into, for example, allowing outdoor events beyond the current cap of 500 people.
