Boris Johnson announces roadmap out of lockdown for England- what the PM said

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown plan for England (Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images)Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown plan for England (Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown plan for England (Photo: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled the Government’s roadmap out of lockdown plan for England.

The Prime Minister announced the four-stage plan in the easing of lockdown restrictions to MPs in the House of Commons on Monday (22 Feb).

Mr Johnson made a key number of announcements, including the dates the Government plans non-essential shops, beauty services and hospitality will be able to reopen.

He told the Commons “we are able to take these steps because of the resolve of the British people and the extraordinary success of our NHS in vaccinating more than 17.5 million people across the UK.”

“We’re setting out on what I hope and believe is a one way road to freedom and this journey is made possible by the pace of the vaccination programme,” the Prime Minister added.

All dates for each stage of the easing of lockdown restrictions are dependent on four tests being met, which are:

  • The coronavirus vaccine programme continues to go to plan
  • Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently reducing the number of people dying with the virus or needing hospital treatment
  • Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospital admissions
  • New variants of the virus do not fundamentally change the risk of lifting restrictions

However, these are the key dates the Government plans non-essential shops, the hospitality sector and the leisure industry will reopen, alongside the easing of rules on meeting up with friends and family.

Key dates

Step 1

From 8 March:

  • All school children will return to face-to-face teaching in schools.
  • People will be able to meet one other person from a household for outdoor recreation, including a coffee or a picnic.
  • Care home residents will be allowed to have “one regular indoor visitor”, but they must wear full PPE and respect social distancing.

From 29 March:

  • Six people from two households will be allowed to meet up in a private garden
  • Outdoor sports facilities will reopen, including outdoor swimming pools and golf courses
  • People are “no longer legally required to stay at home.”

Step 2

From 12 April:

  • Non-essential shops, hairdressers, nail salons and personal care services will reopen at this point
  • Hospitality venues including pubs and restaurants will reopen for outdoor purposes only. A group of up to six people or two different households can meet outdoors
  • Gyms, libraries, zoos, museums and theme parks - only with members of your own household
  • Hotels, hostels, Air BnBs and self-catering holiday accommodation will reopen, but only for household groups
  • Up to 30 people can attend funerals and the maximum number of people at a wake will increase from six to 15

Step 3

From 17 May:

  • Up to 30 people can meet up outdoors, including in pub and restaurant gardens
  • Indoor social mixing is allowed, but only for up to six people or two households together
  • Indoor exercise classes can resume
  • Pubs and restaurants can reopen indoors, but the rule of six/two household rule will still apply for meeting inside
  • Large-scale sporting events or performances will be allowed with up to 1,000 people indoors and up to 4,000 outdoors
  • Bigger football stadiums will be allowed up to 10,000 fans - or a quarter of capacity – whichever is lower
  • 30 people will be allowed to attend weddings, receptions, funerals, wakes and christenings.

Step 4

From 21 June:

  • All legal limits on social contact and to be removed
  • Nightclubs to reopen and large events such as theatre performances above the limits of step three to resume
  • The Government hopes that from this date restrictions on weddings and funerals will also be abolished