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Boris Johnson will address the nation from Downing Street on Sunday night, setting out the next steps in the UK coronavirus response.
While number 10 is giving little, many of us are looking for updates on when children will return to school, how the government plans to make the economy move, and how we can stay safe when we travel and work.
The prime minister is expected to establish a “road map, a menu of options,” in his words, on how England could begin to ease the current blockade.
It is worth noting that the blockade has already been extended for another three weeks in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland until May 28.
That is one of the reasons why Johnson is considered unlikely to announce immediate modifications to the restrictions in England.
Or as Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden put it: “People shouldn’t expect big changes from the Prime Minister on Sunday.”
So with all that in mind, what should we keep in mind in Mr. Johnson’s speech?
1. The five tests
The prime minister has said that a series of tests must be met before adjusting the closure measures.
We will likely hear more about them on Sunday, and perhaps receive an update on progress towards their meeting.
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Will Boris Johnson brief us on progress so far?
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oneMaking sure the NHS can cope
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2A “sustained and constant” drop in the death rate
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3Infection rate decreases to “manageable levels”
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4 4Test and PPE supply meets future demand
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5 5Adjustments don’t risk a second spike
Source: 10 Downing Street
What is a “manageable level” of new cases? Is the death rate falling “steadily and steadily”? We have a longer explanation of the five tests here.
2. The number ‘R’
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This is a technical term for how quickly the virus is spreading in the UK.
If the “R” number is one, that means that a person with the virus passes it to another person. Experts have said that “R” is currently at or below one in the UK, and keeping it there is the goal.
Johnson could explain which adjustments are at risk of increasing the “R” above one, and which are not.
3. Garden centers
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One of the only things we know before the speech is that garden centers in England will be able to reopen with distance measures starting next week, according to a senior government source.
Welsh Prime Minister Mark Drakeford said garden centers in Wales may reopen next week.
Drakeford said Saturday that this is “very much in line” with Johnson’s plans, so expect to hear something similar from the prime minister.
4. Exercise outdoors
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Another decision in Wales could indicate what is to come in Johnson’s speech.
Mark Drakeford announced that people in Wales could leave home to exercise as much as they want starting Monday.
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said a change to enforce the rules is the only change she would consider in the immediate term.
The current limit for outdoor exercise is once a day, alone or with members of your household.
5. Business
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Johnson said Sunday’s speech will provide more details on how to “get our economy moving.”
There is no solid information on this, but Johnson can talk about helping employers observe social distancing patterns.
We may hear a little bit about how certain industries, such as construction, for example, can start to restart.
And then there is the leave plan: will the government continue to pay workers’ wages?
6. Schools
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Many different thoughts have been cast about how schools could return to normal.
Mark Drakeford said Saturday that schools in Wales will not reopen to most students in June.
Will Mr. Johnson say something similar?
Either way, any changes involving schools will be “extremely cautious” and “painstaking,” according to England’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer Jonathan Van-Tam.
7. Travel
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There is also some confusion here.
Airports suggested on Saturday that all people arriving in the UK should be quarantined for 14 days at a registered address. Will Mr. Johnson confirm this and give us more details?
There are also questions about how travelers can travel safely once blocking is eased.
Speaking on Saturday, Transportation Secretary Grant Shapps said there was a possibility of a “change once in a generation” in the way we travel when he unveiled a package of measures to encourage cycling and walking.
8. masks
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Johnson said April 30 that face masks could be “useful” to help the country out of the lockdown.
Government scientific advisers have given ministers evidence of costumes, and are recommended in Scotland for certain situations, will the Prime Minister say whether the public in England should wear them?
9. Meetings and sports.
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Can we meet with small groups of family and friends? That is the question that many of us want to answer.
But changes to the restrictions that Johnson could confirm on Sunday probably won’t offer an immediate solution.
Some people have been wondering if you could open bars with breweries, but would it be possible to make that work?
And what about sports? The Prime Minister can give us an update on the Premier League’s so-called “Restart Project” to restart soccer matches behind closed doors for the public at home.
We can also get some ideas on how the government plans to put mosques, churches and temples back into operation.
Just a quick note about the return. While he is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, any measure or policy that Johnson announces on Sunday will only apply to England.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have the power to make their own decisions on blocking regulations, and although leaders have said they want to move together as one in the coming months, they can do so at different speeds.
What time is the speech and where can I see it?
When: Sunday, May 10, 7:00 p.m. BST
Where: BBC One, BBC News Channel with sign language interpreter, and you can find a live stream plus real-time analysis on the BBC News website
