LONDON (UK) – Prime Minister Boris Johnson will chart out a path to come out of COVID-19 lockdown on Monday in a bid to gradually reopen the $3 trillion economy, which is already hit, and is aided by one of the fastest vaccine rollouts in the world.
With more than 120,000 fatalities, Britain has had the world’s fifth-highest official death toll from the pandemic. It has fallen prey to the biggest economic crash in more than 300 years.
He will say, according to his office, “Our decisions will be made on the latest data at every step, and we will be cautious about this approach so that we do not undo the progress we have achieved so far.”
Having faced pressure both from politicians in his own Conservative Party to start the economy again, and from scientific advisers who were sceptical about a return of the virus if he goes ahead with the unlocks too quickly, Johnson has a daunting journey ahead of him to chart.
His health minister Matt Hancock said on Sunday that any easing, which includes the reopening of schools on March 8, after which its impact would detected on the wider population.
Johnson will have four tests that will be taken into consideration before setting out on each new relaxation, which includes the speed and how far the inoculation programme has proceeded, the state of infection rates and the impact that any new variants of the virus has had.
Britain has been far ahead, when compared to the West to seal vaccine supplies and has been providing vaccine shots to people rapidly since December.
Around 17.6 million people, over a quarter of the 67 million population, have now got access to a first dose, after Israel and the United Arab Emirates in vaccines per head of population. The government has plans to give a first dose to all adults by July end.
Hancock also said the country had recently been successful in reducing coronavirus cases, when it comes to South African variant, which are found to be more infectious. Overall daily coronavirus cases revolved around 11,000 a day last week, when compared to a high of over 80,000 in late December.
Johnson will chart out the roadmap for England on Monday and lawmakers will have the chance to vote on the same in parliament. Leaders in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will also relax restrictions over the coming months.