PM sets out 'road map for reopening society'

From tomorrow, people who cannot work from home are being actively encouraged to go to work instead of being told to only go if they must.

But they should avoid public transport if at all possible.

From Wednesday, people are being encouraged to take unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise and even play sports, but only with members of their household. Visiting and sunbathing in local parks will also be allowed as will driving to other destinations.

But social distancing rules will still have to be obeyed with bigger fines for those who break them.

Schools may begin to reopen by June 1 at the earliest along with the phased reopening of shops.

And at least some pubs, restaurants, hotels and other public places could begin to reopen in July at the earliest “if and only if the numbers support it”.

And a new Covid Alert System is being set up, determined mainly by the reinfection rate and the number of cases.

The alert levels will be one to five and the higher the level, the tougher social distancing measures will have to be. The PM said the UK had been in Level Four but “we are now in a position to begin to move in steps to Level Three”.

While Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she did not want additional businesses to reopen and workers to resume their roles, the PM gave these steps the go-ahead.

Mr Johnson said the first “careful” step to modify lockdown measures was a change of emphasis that he hoped people would act on this week was that, from tomorrow, “anyone who can’t work from home, for instance those in construction and manufacturing, should be actively encouraged to go to work”.

“And we want it to be safe for you to get to work. So you should avoid public transport if at all possible, because we must and will maintain social distancing, and capacity will therefore be limited,” he added.

“In step two - at the earliest by June 1 - after half term - we believe we may be in a position to begin the phased reopening of shops and to get primary pupils back into schools, in stages, beginning with reception, Year 1 and Year 6,” he said.

“Our ambition is that secondary pupils facing exams next year will get at least some time with their teachers before the holidays. And we will shortly be setting out detailed guidance on how to make it work in schools and shops and on transport.

"And step three - at the earliest by July - and subject to all these conditions and further scientific advice; if and only if the numbers support it, we will hope to re-open at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places, provided they are safe and enforce social distancing.”

He insisted this was not the end of the strict measures that he imposed on March 23, saying it would be “madness now to throw away that achievement by allowing a second spike”.

He confirmed he would increase the fines for anyone who breaks social-distancing rules and he promised to “put on the brakes” if Covid-19 cases show signs of increasing as lockdown measures are eased.

In an effort to reassure a nervous public about adjusting to living with coronavirus, the Prime Minister insisted he would not do anything that would risk a second peak in infections.

Under the test, track and trace programme - with the help of the new NHS Covid-19 app currently being trialled on the Isle of Wight - officials hope to identify and isolate any new outbreaks before the infection gets out of control.

Monitoring will take place at local, regional and national level, with the possibility of targeted lockdowns being reimposed if there is a risk of the infection rate - the R value - rising beyond one and risking an exponential rise in cases.

Increased testing capacity - which Mr Johnson has promised will reach 200,000 by the end of May - should help public health officials identify new cases.

The app, provided it is downloaded by enough of the population, will help trace people who have been in close contact with a person who has developed coronavirus and advise them to self-isolate.

If clusters of cases are identified in an area, lockdown measures could be reinstated - although officials hope that a nationwide order will not be required.