Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the latest measures to reduce restrictions imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic from Downing Street today (Friday 17th July).
He also announced new powers for local and central government, intended to help tackle local outbreaks, alongside winter planning for the NHS.
Key Points of Prime Minister’s announcement 17 July 2020:
- The Prime Minister said that, ‘We now know more about the virus and can control it through targeted local action. Test and Trace is key to this and is working – workplace outbreaks have been contained eg: Kirklees. Local lockdown in Leicester is showing positive results’
- A NEW ‘CONTAIN FRAMEWORK’:
- From today: gives local authorities more powers to contain local outbreaks quickly. This means LAs can eg:
- cancel events
- shut public outdoor spaces
- close premises
- From next week: Central government will be able to enforce further local measures as needed. Including:
- close sectors / types of premises in an area
- impose stay at home orders
- reduce gatherings sizes
- restrict people from entering / leaving areas
- restrict local transport systems
- The PM said that these local measures will be difficult for this affected but we have to respond to local outbreaks
- From today: gives local authorities more powers to contain local outbreaks quickly. This means LAs can eg:
- WINTER PLANNING:
- Approaching winter, testing will need to go even further – capacity will be increased to 3.5 mill antigen tests per week by end of October.
- Possible that the virus will be more virulent in winter, as well as normal increased seasonal demands so need to prepare the NHS including:
- rolling out of biggest ever flu vaccination programme
- £3bn extra funding in England for NHS winter preparation
- Already increased ventilators from 9k to 30k & PPE supply line increased
- He said ‘we are planning for the worst, hoping for the best’
- FURTHER LIFTING OF RESTRICTIONS
- From today: Advice changing on public transport – Now anyone who needs to can use public transport, ,while considering alternative means of transport if possible
- From 25th July:
- Gyms, pools etc to reopen as previously announced.
- From 1st August:
- update to advice on going to work. Instead of govt telling people to work from home, employers can decide what will work for their business / employees eg back to covid-secure workplaces or continue working from home – must consult with their employees and only return to workplace if safe
- Reopening: bowling, skating rinks, casinos and close contact beauty services etc
- Remain closed: soft play areas and nightclubs to remain closed
- Indoor live audience performances to restart
- Pilots to look at how to return audiences to stadia
- Wedding receptions for 30 people
- From September:
- ALL nurseries, schools, colleges open for all children full time.
- Universities working on reopening as fully as possible
- October:
- Conferences to be enabled and stadia to re-open (COVID-secure, subject to pilots)
- Friends and family
- Will look at allowing more close contact between friends and family going forward
Giving local authorities more powers to cancel events,
shut public outdoor spaces and close premises is pointless unless the Government start sharing the real time “named patient,full postcode data”with all Local authorities and public health officials around the country, our test trace and isolate will always be two steps behind the virus.
Health officials all over the country have been complaining for months that they are being hampered in their efforts to combat and prevent local outbreaks because lack of access to the data from the government.