Pubs in England 'could reopen May' under new lockdown-easing plans
28 January 2021, 10:16 | Updated: 28 January 2021, 10:23
Pubs and bars could stay shut until May under a 'three-step plan' to ease lockdown.
Pubs could reopen in May under a 'three-step plan' to ease lockdown in England.
Boris Johnson said yesterday that there will be a 'gradual and phased' approach to lifting lockdown, and said that schools will remain shut until at least March 8.
Read more: Everything we know about Boris Johnson’s plans to ease lockdown in England from March
And, according to a report by the Telegraph, if schools do open at that time, non-essential shops might then follow in April, while pubs could open their doors in May.
This plan is far from confirmed, however, and all easing of lockdown restrictions would depend on how successful the vaccination programme is, the NHS capacity, and the Covid death rate.
Read more: Boris Johnson confirms schools in England will stay closed until at least March
Pubs and non-essential shops across England were ordered to shut when the nation went into full national lockdown at the start of the month.
Speaking in the House of Commons yesterday, Boris Johnson said: "Our plan for leaving the lockdown will set out our approach towards reopening schools. If we achieve our target of vaccinating everyone in the four most vulnerable groups with their first dose by February 15, and every passing day sees more progress toward that goal, then those groups will that have developed immunity from the virus about three weeks later.
"That is by March 8. We hope it will therefore be safe to begin the reopening schools from Monday, March 8, with other economic and social restrictions being removed then or thereafter, as and when the data commits."
The government plans to vaccinate 15 million people by February 15, including the over 70s, NHS staff and clinically vulnerable.
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