Boris Johnson announces new lifting of COVID-19 restrictions

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced that England will begin the next phase of reopening next week, calling the eased restrictions a “considerable unlocking.”

Starting May 17, indoor hospitality venues will open their doors to the public in England, including restaurants, bars and cafes.

A number of indoor entertainment and attractions will also reopen to the public, with some COVID-19 measures in place, including cinemas, theaters, concert halls, bowling alleys, casinos, amusement arcades, museums and children’s indoor play areas.

Individuals in England will be allowed to attend indoor and outdoor events, including live performances and sporting and business events, with attendance caps determined based on the venue type.

Johnson also announced the easing of restrictions for schools. Colleges will allow in-person teaching to resume, but Johnson said students should be tested twice a week.

The prime minister also said that face coverings will no longer be required in classrooms, or in communal areas for secondary schools and colleges.

Additionally, Johnson announced that up to six people, or two households, will be allowed to socialize indoors. He also increased the limit for outdoor gatherings to 30 people.

The scaled-back restrictions also include an increase on the number of named visitors allowed to visit residents in care homes from two to five, as long as they test negative for COVID-19.

Johnson also eased restrictions on travel, allowing individuals traveling within Britain to plan overnight stays, and eliminating the reason requirement that is in place for international travel.

“This unlocking amounts to a very considerable step on the road back to normality and I am confident that we will be able to go further,” Johnson said.

The prime minister did, however, urge residents to remain vigilant in the fight against the coronavirus. He encouraged people to continue following social distancing when not with friends and family, and reminded individuals that gathering outdoors is safer than indoors.

He also called on individuals to remain aware of the variants circulating the globe.

“We must continue to fight the spread of variants here in the U.K.,” Johnson said.

“While we have no evidence yet to believe that these variants are completely vaccine resistant, we must remain vigilant. So, please remember, hands, face, space and fresh air,” he added.

Johnson said the U.K. is on track to enter the next phase of reopening on June 21, subject to the impact of step three on the data.

Johnson said more than two-thirds of all adults across the U.K. have been vaccinated, and more than one-third, or 18 million people, have received their second dose.