[ad_1]
The government’s daily press conference, a familiar feature of the first nationwide lockdown, has returned in recent months amid a surge in Covid cases.
While plans for daily White House-style briefings by Prime Minister Allegra Stratton’s press secretary have been shelved for now, Downing Street confirmed in January that there would be at least three updates each week to update to the nation on the pandemic.
read more
When will the confinement end? England’s roadmap to relax Covid rules and how long the restrictions are in effect
The newsletter i latest news and analysis
The return to regular announcements came after England entered its third full-scale lockdown, with similarly stringent restrictions introduced across the rest of the UK, and as the nationwide rollout of Covid vaccination gained momentum.
These press conferences are generally led by Boris Johnson, who delivered three updates the week the lockdown was announced, or government ministers, supported as has become the norm by relevant experts.
When is the next Covid announcement?
When the government’s next press conference will be, has not yet been announced, after the Prime Minister delivered the latest update on Monday, March 29.
However, whenever it happens, you will be able to watch the action live via a broadcast on this page, or on BBC News and Sky News; You can watch BBC News online with BBC iPlayer and Sky News through your YouTube channel.
Johnson’s last briefing came on the day the Rule of Six returned to the great outdoors in England, allowing groups of six, or two entire households, to meet in parks and gardens for the first time in months.
Outdoor sports and leisure facilities such as golf courses and tennis courts can now be reopened, and organized outdoor sports can resume for children and adults.
That was the government’s first speech since Tuesday, March 23, when the prime minister addressed the nation after observing a minute of silence as part of a day of reflection for those who died during the pandemic, before a massive vigil. at home later in the evening.
Johnson and Health Secretary Matt Hancock have been the most frequent leaders of the briefings since they returned earlier this year, along with Interior Minister Priti Patel.
What happened in the announcement of the roadmap of the blockade?
Johnson’s announcement of England’s roadmap out of the lockdown on February 22 was one of the most anticipated government briefings in recent memory.
During his speech to MPs and the press conference that followed, the Prime Minister outlined the government’s “cautious” four-stage plan to lift the lockdown restrictions entirely by June 21.
Each step of the plan is subject to four tests being met, with gaps of at least five weeks between each phase, as shown below:
Step 1
- As of March 8: All schools will open with after-school outdoor sports and activities allowed. Socializing in public outdoor spaces, such as a park, between two people will be allowed.
- As of March 29: Return of the “Rule of Six”: Groups of more than six from a maximum of two households will also be allowed to meet. Outdoor sports and leisure facilities such as golf courses and tennis courts will be allowed to reopen, and organized outdoor sports for children and adults may resume.
Step 2 – As of April 12
- All non-essential retailers can reopen
- Pubs, restaurants, and cafes may reopen, with outdoor seating only
- Gyms and other indoor entertainment venues may reopen (limited to household groups)
- Hair salons and other personal care businesses may reopen
- National holidays can be resumed (limited to household groups)
- Outdoor attractions like zoos and theme parks may reopen
- Weddings and funerals can have up to 15 people
- Libraries and community centers can reopen
- All children’s activities can be resumed, including indoor parent-child groups with up to 15 parents
- Testing will be done for larger events
Step 3 – As of May 17
- The rules of the six will go into effect indoors (subject to revision)
- Indoor seating can be resumed in pubs and restaurants.
- Indoor entertainment venues like cinemas and theaters may reopen
- National overnight stays can be resumed
- Organized adult indoor sport can start anew
- Weddings and other “important life events” can include up to 30 people
- Remaining outdoor entertainment, such as performances, can be resumed.
- The remaining accommodation can be reopened
Step 4 – As of June 21
- Larger events can be resumed
- Nightclubs may reopen
- No legal limits to social contact
read more
How many Covid deaths in my area? Map of England’s coronavirus death rate after UK figure surpasses 100,000
When did the Government Covid updates start?
The UK government’s first Covid-19 press conference was held on Monday March 16, with Johnson appearing in Downing Street flanked by England’s Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty and Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance .
These briefings were set in a familiar daily pattern, with the Prime Minister or an ever-expanding network of government ministers generally appearing alongside two relevant medical or scientific experts.
Press conferences were eventually introduced on Saturdays and Sundays, but these weekend briefings ended in late May due to “significantly lower audience figures” as the effects of the pandemic waned, according to a spokesperson for the No 10.
On Tuesday June 23, following an announcement by Mr. Johnson that a series of lockdown measures were being relaxed, weekday speeches also ended, to be replaced by ad hoc updates to “coincide with important announcements.”
When the Prime Minister delivered the 100th Covid-19 press conference on Wednesday, September 30, he indicated that the briefings would return more frequently.
Plans remain for daily lectures led by Ms Stratton, former ITV and BBC journalist; however, these were postponed following the announcement of the new lockdown restrictions in England in early January.
