With UK's COVID alert having been downgraded from four to three earlier today—meaning that though the virus is still in circulation, the risk of transmission is no longer high or exponentially rising—it is only a matter days before we are able to regain further freedoms.
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Hugging friends and family
Boris Johnson will be announcing today that hugging your loved ones could be safe again after more than a year of practicing strict social distancing measures.
As 17 May approaches, the day the UK will officially enter phase three of its roadmap out of lockdown, relaxation of measures, such as: dining inside restaurants, outdoor gatherings of 30 people and indoor mixing of two separate households will soon become part of the norm. Health Minister Nadine Dorries explains that:
It does look as though the roadmap is on course, but we do so with caution, ensuring that the data is in place and looking forward to—and with excitement to—the fact that we will able to hug our family and friends soon. So, caution balanced with optimism, I think, is the way forward.
Pressure to speed up the end of lockdown
With one in three adults having received full protection from the virus and recent data showing that the mortality rate has considerably plummeted over the last few weeks, pressure is being mounted on to Johnson to bring forward the end of lockdown from its original date set for 21 June.
A statement from the chief medical officers for England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales as well as NHS England national medical director Stephen Powys said that though things are looking up for the UK, precaution must still be taken by all:
Thanks to the efforts of the UK public in social distancing and the impact we are starting to see from the vaccination programme, case numbers, deaths and Covid hospital pressures have fallen consistently.
However Covid is still circulating with people catching and spreading the virus every day so we all need to continue to be vigilant. This remains a major pandemic globally.
It is very important that we all continue to follow the guidance closely and everyone gets both doses of the vaccine when they are offered it.
