UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced on Tuesday, June 23, 2020 that England could start gradually easing the COVID-19 lockdown thanks to a significant prevalence drop, adding that the two-metre social distancing rule would be changed starting July 4.
“Our cautious relaxation of the guidance is entirely conditional of our continued defeat of the virus.
“In the first half of May, nearly 69,000 people tested positive for COVID-19 across the UK.
“By the first half of June, that token has fallen by 70 per cent to just under 22,000.
“This pandemic has inflicted permanent scars and we mourn everyone we have lost.
“While we remain vigilant, we do not believe there is currently a risk of a second peak of infections that might overwhelm the NHS.
“Thanks to our progress, we can now go further and safely ease the lockdown in England,” Johnson told the UK parliament.
The prime minister stressed that each step would be conditional and reversible.
“Given the significant fall in the prevalence of the virus, we can change the 2-meter social distancing rule from July 4.
“Where it is possible to keep two metres apart, people should.
“But where it is not, we would advise people to keep a social distance of one metre plus,” Johnson added.
