Ten weeks on from the start of the coronavirus enforced lockdown and people will start to return to some sort of normality from tomorrow with some children heading back to school, you will be able to meet friends and family in groups of up to six people, the clinically vulnerable can start to head outside and very soon we will see the return of professional sport on the TV as the restrictions are eased.
Earlier this month, restrictions had been relaxed to allow unlimited exercise, whilst some leisure facilities such as golf courses and outdoor tennis courts had been able to reopen. People were also allowed to meet one person from another household, and if you were unable to work from home were asked to go back to your place of work.
So what is going to change from tomorrow?
Schools and nurseries to reopen to more pupils
The Prime Minister announced on Thursday afternoon that he had given the green light for schools to to welcome back pupils in reception, Year 1 and Year 6. Schools have been open throughout the pandemic, looking after the children of key workers and the most vulnerable. This will continue, regardless of year group.
Various measures, including smaller class sizes, protective ‘bubbles’ and staggered start and finishing times, have been introduced to try to ensure the safety of pupils.
From June 15th pupils in Year 10 and 12 will have some face-to-face contact with their teachers.
Some non-essential retail to resume
Whilst supermarkets and other essential shops have remained open throughout the pandemic, tomorrow sees the start of more non-essential retail locations being able to open their doors to customers.
Tomorrow starts off with outdoor markets and car showrooms, which are more spacious they will be able to adapt to social distancing measures easily and the government say are at a reduced risk of spreading coronavirus.
June 15th will see more non-essential retailers, including The Designer Outlet Village in Rodbourne, clothes shops and indoor markets able to open their doors, as long as they are “Covid-secure”.
Gatherings of six allowed
Boris Johnson announced on Thursday that people will be able to see each other again in groups of six from tomorrow, but only outdoors.
Those not from the same household will have to maintain the strict social distancing measure of remaining two metres away from people who are not in their household.
These meetings can take place in parks, but also in private gardens however, people are being requested not to meet others that do not live with them indoors.
Sports to return behind closed doors (but on TV)
Live sports including football, snooker, horse racing, F1 and cricket will be returning to TV screens in the coming weeks.
Horse racing will be returning to screens tomorrow, the Premier League will restart on June 17th and Formula 1 is expected return in around 4-5 weeks time.
All sporting events will be behind closed doors.
Vulnerable allowed out for some fresh air
The BBC are this morning reporting that the 2.5million ‘clinically vulnerable’, that had been asked to remain at home since the middle of March are expected to be be allowed to go outdoors again from tomorrow.
They say that at this afternoon’s daily government briefing, it will be announced they are able to go out once a day with members of their household as well as one other person from another household, whilst social distancing.
