The UK government has published a detailed document of the long-expected COVID-19 recovery plan, hoping to gradually ease the lockdown measures while at the same time getting the pandemic under control.
Named as “Our Plan to Rebuild: The UK Government’s COVID-19 recovery strategy”, the document published on Monday sets out the three-phase approach, starting this week with further lockdown easing at the start of June and further changes potentially from July 4, reports Xinhua news agency.
According to the 50-page document, those with jobs in food production, construction, manufacturing, logistics, distribution and scientific research in laboratories should return to the workplace from this week.
People should aim to wear a face-covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible and they come into contact with others that they do not normally meet, for example on public transport or in some shops, according to the document.
For students, the government wants children of key workers and those who are vulnerable to go back to school at once and all English primary school children to have at least a month’s teaching before the summer holidays.
Homemade cloth face-coverings can help reduce the risk of transmission in some circumstances, said the government.
People can exercise outside as many times each day as they wish from Wednesday instead of just once a day, according to the government.
Depending on the situation, the government is also planning to allow cultural and sporting events to take place behind-closed-doors for broadcast from June.
The third phase, starting at the earliest by July, may see the government reopen some of the hospitality industry and other public places.
Those measures will for now be carried out in England only.
And when traveling to outdoor spaces, the document said it is important that people respect the rules in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and do not travel to different parts of the UK where it would be inconsistent with guidance or regulations issued by the relevant devolved administrations.
As of Tuesday morning, there were 224,332 COVID-19 cases in the UK with 32,141 deaths.
