UK eases lockdown in England, Wales and most of Scotland
A ban on overseas holidays has been lifted, with travel made possible to a handful of countries with low infection rates.
PRETORIA, May 17 (ANA) – Citizens of the United Kingdom are now able to socialise indoors in limited numbers, hug loved ones and visit pubs and restaurant indoors as lockdown rules were eased on Monday, the BBC reported.
The British broadcaster said Prime Minister Boris Johnson cautioned people to play their part in stopping the coronavirus.
“We have reached another milestone in our road map out of lockdown, but we must take this next step with a heavy dose of caution,’’ he was quoted as saying.
Al Jazeera said devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales have also loosened rules on indoor socialising and allowed hospitality and entertainment businesses to welcome customers again.
“Restrictions will be relaxed slightly later in Northern Ireland. It was not immediately clear why, but each country within the union sets its own timeline,” the broadcaster said in its report.
Johnson has set a June 21 deadline for lifting all lockdown measures in England, but this could yet be pushed back, Al Jazeera said.
I News said the government has also confirmed that foreign holidays will be allowed to resume under a “traffic light” system, with countries split into green, amber and red lists.
Portugal was named as the only one of the UK’s major short-haul destinations for quarantine-free travel, although more could be added to the green list in due course.
The British publication said all university students in England will be allowed to return to campus next week for in-person teaching, with those returning expected to get tested twice a week for Covid-19 throughout the rest of the summer term.
Face coverings for pupils will no longer be recommended in classrooms or in communal areas in secondary schools and colleges.
– African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Yaron Blecher