[ad_1]
Boris Johnson will address the nation on Sunday to establish a roadmap on how England could abandon the Covid-19 blockade. Any immediate changes have been billed as modest and incremental, but people are waiting for more details on how life could differ in the coming weeks. These are the questions that the Prime Minister must answer:
Will I be able to go out more?
Restrictions on being able to exercise only once a day could be lifted, and for several weeks, “time out” has been seen as a natural area to make a change. Suggestions include being allowed outside for longer periods, or more than once a day, with trips beginning and ending at home. Medical director Professor Chris Whitty publicly said there is a reduced risk of contracting coronavirus outdoors, which was echoed in recent days by Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab. After reports of people being moved by the police, taped park benches, and closed picnic spots, the public is eager to know if they can make the most of the warmer months, and specifically if they can take the sun or eat outdoors.
Can I go to the garden center?
The garden centers will open from Monday in Wales as long as there is a physical distance. Johnson will need to address whether English garden centers will reopen, according to rumors, as part of the reduced initial restrictions. The fruit and vegetable sector was extremely vocal in March on how the closure of the UK’s 2,000 garden centers would cripple the industry, as this is a peak time and thousands of plants were expected to be attacked. Undoubtedly, allowing a nation of gardeners to return to garden centers would be popular, as the “stay home” rule has meant more time for some to spend in a garden or outdoor space.
When the children back to school?
This is key because only when children return to school can parents return to their workplace. The reopening of schools and companies will work together. It has been suggested that elementary students may return in June, however unions have said it would be safer for children not to return until September. Scotland has said it will not reopen until autumn and Wales has said that students will not return on June 1.
I am over 70 years old, will special rules apply to me?
People over 70 are currently being asked to pay very strict attention to physical distancing rules regardless of health conditions because the government says they are at increased risk of becoming more seriously ill with the virus. Johnson will have to say clearly whether there will be specific restrictive measures for those over 70, while the rest of the country has a way out of the shutdown. Age UK and several MPs have said there can be no justification for keeping those over 70 at home, while other age groups have more freedom unless there is clear medical advice.
When can I go to the pub?
One question many people ask is when the favorite pastime of a drink in the local pub can return. Johnson will want to speak to the hospitality sector, which is suffering greatly because the nature of its business means that physical distancing is difficult to achieve. Bar owners have asked if beer gardens could reopen with ordered drinks through an app, but the reopening of bars and cafes is believed to be well below the government’s priority list.
Will I have to wear a mask?
The prime minister has said that covering your face may have a role to play in the long-term strategy to ease the blockade, and people will want to know if they should use them every time they leave the house and in places like public transport.
Can I go back to work?
A sign of how the workplace might work in the future would be helpful for companies to plan their office layouts and patterns of change. Organizing this can take many weeks, so Johnson may choose to give people time to prepare when setting up their road map. It has been suggested that those who can work from home will be asked to continue to do so, with recommended virtual meetings rather than one-place people meetings.
I’m protecting myself, will this continue?
You will need to speak directly to those who undergo 12 weeks of home protection for specific medical conditions. The restrictions in this group are more onerous because they are not allowed to leave the house to go to the stores and it is the most socially isolated of all the restrictions. People will be interested to know if protection is expected to continue beyond June.
