Britain’s Johnson Warns Anxious Nation Most Lockdown Measures Remain

By Stefan J. Bos, Special Correspondent Worthy News

(Worthy News) – Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned Sunday that most coronavirus lockdown measures would remain until at least June 1, and he announced a “conditional plan” for reopening British society.

Johnson, who recently survived a severe bout of the coronavirus disease COVID-19, told an anxious nation that his plan included the possible return to school for some young children at the start of June.

“This is not the time simply to end the lockdown this week,” he said in a televised address. His government has faced criticism over its handling of the pandemic. Johnson made clear he is wary of taking the brakes off too soon. Britain’s coronavirus death toll approaching 32,000 is the second-highest in the world, behind the United States.

More details of his plan were to be unveiled in Parliament on Monday. Johnson said some primary school children could return, and shops reopen from June 1. Johnson stressed that most people should continue to work from home if they could. Those who cannot, such as people working in construction and manufacturing should be “actively encouraged to go to work.”

From Wednesday, people will be allowed to take unlimited amounts of outdoor exercise, he said. They can sit in the sun in their local park, drive to other destinations, and play sports with members of their household if they observe social distancing. Until now, people had been told only to exercise outdoors once a day and do so locally.

More details were to be unveiled in Parliament on Monday. However, critics already said Johnson’s plan of action lacked many details and raised a series of new questions. His directions were mainly meant for England. Leaders of the other three constituent nations Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland already said they were sticking with the existing “stay-at-home” message. More details were to be unveiled in Parliament on Monday.

Opposition Labour leader Keir Starmer said Johnson had raised more questions than he had answered. He there was now the prospect of different parts of the United Kingdom pulling in different directions. “What the country wanted tonight were clarity and consensus, but we haven’t got either of those,” he added in published remarks.

Britain’s economy – the world’s fifth-largest – has suffered under the pandemic and related lockdown measures. Business groups welcomed Johnson’s statement but cautioned companies would need more advice on how to get people back to work safely.

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