Boris Johnson has now outlined the next steps in England’s response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Prime Minister was chairing a Downing Street press conference where he detailed the next stage of the country’s coronavirus recovery roadmap.
He announced that from today (July 17), anyone is allowed to use public transport.
He also added that most remaining leisure settings, bowling alleys, skating rinks, casinos and beauticians can re-open from August 1. Also on August 1, indoor performances with live audiences will be allowed, while trials of larger gathering in places such as sports stadiums will begin “with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn”.
However, nightclubs and soft play areas are to remain closed until further notice.
August 1st will also see the government change its advice on working from home, as companies will be given more “discretion” on whether employees can return to work if offices are “COVID secure”.
From tomorrow (July 18), local authorities will be given new powers to shut public spaces and close down events to ensure smaller lockdowns can be imposed if needed.
Of the latest updates, the PM said “the steps we are taking for September, October, November are all conditional on our ability to defeat the virus”, adding that he hopes the UK can return to “significant” normality by the middle of November.