Boris Johnson has said although “nothing can be guaranteed,” we can be optimistic that all Covid-19 restrictions will be lifted by the June 21st date revealed in the “road map”.
The first step of the four stage plan, all pupils in England’s schools will return to class from March 8th, with secondary school pupils required to wear face masks in the classroom.
Socialising in parks and public spaces with one other person will also be permitted and care home residents can have one regular visitor from that date.
A further easing will take place on March 29, when the school Easter holidays begin, with larger groups of up to six people or two households allowed to gather in parks and gardens
Speaking at a south London school today Mr Johnson said: “I’m hopeful but obviously nothing can be guaranteed and it all depends on the way we continue to be prudent and continue to follow the guidance in each stage.
“Genuinely because of the immense possibilities of the rollout, because science has given us this way of creating a shield around our population, we can really look at that June 21 date with some optimism.
“I think that’s how I would put it. I’m very optimistic that we’ll be able to get there.”
He added: “Some people will say that we’re going to be going too fast, some people will say we’re going too slow.
“I think the balance is right, I think it is a cautious but irreversible approach, which is exactly what people want to see.
“Getting kids back into school, massively important for the country, we need time to assess what that does to the disease, to the prevalence of Covid.
“And then again when you look at the April 12 openings, you need to look at the impact of that, what does non-essential retail do, the opening of hospitality and so on. You’re adding to the budget of risk and you need time to observe the impact of that.
“So we think it’s a sensible approach, a prudent approach, but also as I think people can see it goes on irreversibly and we open up on June 21 in a way that I don’t think people would have really thought possible had it not been for the rollout of the vaccinations.”
