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LONDON (AP) – This has been dubbed Happy Monday – the day when people could put on swimsuits and swim in an outdoor pool for the first time in months, where rusty golfers struggled to hit their readers in the middle from the fairway.
After a nearly three-month lockdown against coronaviruses which, alongside the rapid rollout of vaccines, has seen infections drop dramatically, England has embarked on a major easing of restrictions with families and friends able to end up in outdoor spaces and many sports allowed again. The rest of the UK – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – are taking broadly similar action.
And, just like at the right time, the weather is improving, with temperatures reaching levels closer to southern Spain at this time of year.
As part of Monday’s easing, groups of up to six or two households can once again socialize in parks and gardens, while outdoor sports facilities can reopen.
“It is only through months of sacrifice and effort that we can take this small step towards freedom today and we must proceed with caution,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said during a briefing. hurry.
Johnson said it was “inevitable” that cases would start to rise again in the coming weeks as Europe grapples with a resurgence of the virus. However, he urged everyone to follow the rules and get vaccinated when called.
Although many aspects of daily life remain off-limits for at least a few more weeks, many people enjoy their newfound freedoms, such as participating in the outdoor sport of their choice, as long as the numbers involved are within the set limits. . Organized team sports, such as children’s football clubs, can also restart, up to any number.
One of the first – if not the first – to reopen on Monday was the Morley Hayes Golf Club, near Derby in central England, with players leaving at 12:01 p.m. for a lighted seven-hole charity tournament.
Many aspects of England’s lockdown remain in place, with the UK government stressing it is taking a cautious approach to lifting restrictions, especially given the rise in cases in mainland Europe. He says upcoming plans to lift restrictions, such as allowing pubs to serve beer outdoors from April 12, could be delayed if the backdrop for the virus deteriorates.
“The big thing about the roadmap and the timeline we have is that it gives us a chance to assess the data as we move forward,” Johnson said.
Police stressed that officers will remain highly visible, including in open spaces, and will not hesitate to fine anyone who goes beyond what is permitted, such as those who gather at house parties. .
“We do not apologize for our tough stance on shutting down these large gatherings that endanger public safety,” said Assistant Deputy Commissioner Jane Connors, who leads the coronavirus response for the London Metropolitan Police.
Most non-essential businesses remain closed, as well as pubs, restaurants, gymnasiums, cinemas, theaters, museums and sports stadiums. And the government continues to urge people to work from home where they can, while overseas travel is banned except for a few special reasons.
Although new coronavirus cases and deaths are at their lowest for about six months, the UK has suffered the deadliest epidemics in Europe, with more than 126,500 coronavirus-related deaths, according to government figures. Other measures have increased the death toll because when the pandemic began a year ago, there were very few tests for the virus.
Families who have lost loved ones have started painting a mural of nearly 150,000 hand-drawn hearts on the south bank of the Thames in London, opposite Houses of Parliament, to remember those who have died. The mural should extend over half a mile (almost a kilometer) when completed.
The “Covid-19 Bereaved Families For Justice” group, which urges the government to open an investigation into the handling of the pandemic, said the unlicensed mural is not meant to be “political or antagonistic” but rather provide an “Visual representation” Of every life lost.
“Just like the scale of our collective loss, this memorial is going to be huge,” said Matt Fowler, co-founder of the group, who lost his father to the virus.
The restrictions have been relaxed as official figures show more than 30 million people in the UK have received a first dose of the vaccine, which is around 57% of all adults. The UK has rolled out vaccines by age group – those 50 and over were able to get vaccinated for the first time – and aims to give everyone over 18 a first vaccine by July.
Due to supply constraints, the deployment of the first doses for those under 50 is suspended in April, with the main focus being on the administration of second injections to those deemed to be the most vulnerable.
“We continue to fortify the population, to roll out the vaccine at the speed that we are,” Johnson said.
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https://apnews.com/UnderstandingtheOutbreak
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