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Boris Johnson’s conditional plan to lift the coronavirus blockade offers early relief from its more severe restrictions and some hope for a gradual restoration of economic activity. But each stage of relaxation could be delayed or reversed if the infection rate and virus prevalence are not reduced and kept low.
Britain has suffered more deaths from coronavirus than any other European country, as it was slow to introduce a blockade and initially abandoned testing and contact tracing. Johnson’s plan depends on a recent increase in testing to be sustained and accelerated and the success of a new contact-tracking infrastructure.
“We will be monitoring our progress at the local, regional and national level, and if there are outbreaks, if there are problems, we will not hesitate to stop. We have passed the initial peak, but it is coming down the mountain which is often more dangerous, ”he said Sunday.
Britain does not yet have the capacity for effective local and regional monitoring of Germany and South Korea, which have seen spikes in new infections after easing restrictions. Johnson, who set the right tone for business seriousness in his statement, downplayed the importance of sticking to the schedule to lift the shutdown.
Everyone has a role to play in helping to control the virus by staying alert and following the rules.
This is how we can continue to save lives as we begin to recover from the coronavirus.# Stay alert pic.twitter.com/2z9yl1Fxs4
– Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) May 10, 2020
“If we can’t do it on those dates, and if the alert level doesn’t allow it, we will simply wait and continue until we do it right,” he said.
The new catchphrase “Stay Alert, Control the Virus, Save Lives” represents a shift in emphasis from government messages that may prove too subtle to be effective. Loosening restrictions on outdoor activity during the week is less than straightforward, with some previously prohibited activities now allowed only for members of the same households, while two members of separate households can meet if kept within two meters of distance.
Johnson’s call for those unable to work from home to return to work this week left the British Chambers of Commerce asking for detailed advice on what will need to be changed in the workplace and unions insisting on clear rules to protect workers. workers. And the prime ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland made it clear, even before speaking, that they would not follow the prime minister to ease the restrictions immediately.
Johnson will give parliamentarians more details about his plan Monday afternoon, and Labor leader Keir Starmer was already exercising Sunday night for questioning.
“This statement raises more questions than it answers, and we see the possibility that England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are moving in different directions. The prime minister appears to be effectively telling millions of people to return to work without a clear safety plan or clear guide on how to get there without using public transport. What the country wanted tonight was clarity and consensus, but we didn’t get any of those, “Starmer said.
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