Gedling MP Tom Randall has reacted to the Prime Minister’s roadmap out of lockdown with cautious optimism.
Mr Randall said: ”The Prime Minister has announced the roadmap that will guide us cautiously but irreversibly towards reclaiming our freedoms.”
MPs in the House of Commons were the first to hear the PM’s plans to get England out of lockdown by June 21.
The first stage of the plan is to fully reopen schools in a fortnight.
It will be his first step of four on the route out of lockdown.
On March 8 schools will re-open
On March 29 the rule of 6 or 2 households outdoors comes into force
Outdoor sport resume on April 12 along with non-essential retail, hairdressers, outdoor hospitality, gyms and swimming pools.
On May 17 hotels re-open, hospitality will be allowed indoors and fans will be allowed at sport events (up to 10,000).
“At every stage, the Government’s decisions will be led by data and subjected to four tests,” said Mr Randall.
“First, that the vaccine deployment programme continues successfully; second, that evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths; third, that infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS; and fourth, that assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of Covid that cause concern.
“Before taking each step, the Government will review the data against these tests. It takes at least four weeks for the data to reflect the impact of relaxations in restrictions and the Government want to give the country a week’s notice before each change so there will be at least five weeks between each step.
“The Chief Medical Officer is clear that moving any faster would mean acting before we know the impact of each step, which would increase the risk of us having to reverse course and re-impose restrictions.
“The aim is to lift all covid restrictions in England by June 21,” said Mr Randall.
Remember when we had a proper MP and not this clown?