Covid: Outdoor meetings and sports to resume in England - BBC News

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Two households or groups of up to six people are now able to meet outside in England again as the stay-at-home Covid restrictions order comes to an end.

Outdoor sport facilities including tennis courts and golf courses are also reopening, and organised outdoor sports can resume in the latest easing.

And weddings will also be on again, attended by up to six people.

But Boris Johnson has urged caution, saying cases are up in Europe and variants threaten the vaccine rollout.

"Despite today's easements, everyone must continue to stick to the rules, remember hands, face, space, and come forward for a vaccine when called," the prime minister said.

A new slogan - Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air - was also being unveiled by the government to emphasise the importance of ventilation in reducing the spread of the virus.

• What can I do from Monday... and what comes next?
• How many people can I meet now?
• How many people have been vaccinated so far?
• UK reports 3,862 cases on Sunday

Prof Chris Whitty, the UK's chief medical officer, said: "The evidence is very clear that outdoor spaces are safer than indoors. It is important to remember this as we move into the next phase."

Covid-19 - a virus lethal to some, economically deadly to many, an extinguisher of the liberties of all.

Today, in England, the latest baby steps towards normality.

A relief to millions, accompanied by a soundtrack of caution from ministers.

A familiar refrain acquires some extra words: "Hands, face, space... and fresh air."

Rammed home will be: "Don't invite anyone into your home."

Outside good, inside bad.

And keep going with the social distancing.

England's next moment of unlocking, including that much anticipated haircut, is a fortnight away at the earliest.

Monday marks the second easing of the lockdown imposed across England in early January, after schools reopened to all pupils on 8 March. People were also permitted to exercise with their household, or with one person from outside their household.

People can now meet outside - including in private gardens - in groups of up to six, or as two households, with social distancing.

But as many friends and families prepare to be reunited for the first time together in several months, ministers are still advising people to work from home where possible and minimise the number of journeys they take.

Sports minister Nigel Huddleston urged those travelling to visit family and friends to plan journeys ahead - filling up with petrol or going to shops locally before travelling.

People should stay outside once there, he told BBC Breakfast, as the change of rules "is not an excuse to stay overnight".

Mr Huddleston also advised people who see others bending the rules to "call them out in a respectful way" and refrain from hugging.

"I know it's a little bit awkward, but actually in these circumstances it's the right thing to do," he said.

• LOOK-UP TOOL: How many cases in your area?
• LOCKDOWN RULES: What are they and when will they end?
• SOCIAL DISTANCING: How can I meet my friend safely?
• FACE MASKS: When do I need to wear one?

The next stage in the relaxation of the rules will take place no earlier than 12 April with non-essential retail reopening, and restaurants and pubs allowed to serve outdoors.

In Wales, the "stay local" rule was lifted on Saturday, with six people allowed to meet outside and stay in self-contained holiday accommodation.

The stay home order in Scotland will end on Friday, and from Thursday in Northern Ireland up to six people, or two households, will be able to meet outdoors.

Another 19 deaths of people within 28 days of a positive Covid test were recorded on Sunday, compared with 33 on the same day last week, along with a further 3,862 cases.

The latest government figures show 423,852 UK adults received a first dose of the vaccine on Saturday, taking the overall number to 30,151,287 - with 233,964 having their second dose, bringing that total to 3,527,481.

Sports stars including England World Cup-winning cricket captain Eoin Morgan and British number one women's tennis player Johanna Konta are teaming up with the government to encourage a return to physical activity.

Mr Johnson said "as teams return to outdoor pitches, courts, parks and fields, I hope today will kick-start a Great British summer of sport".

The prime minister added: "I know how much people have missed the camaraderie and competition of organised sport, and how difficult it has been to restrict physical activities - especially for children."

The government has announced it will set up a new Office for Health Promotion in England to promote physical fitness and mental health, saying the pandemic has revealed many vulnerabilities in the population.

The PM said the new office, expected to be launched by the autumn, will be "crucial in tackling the causes, not just the symptoms" of ill-health.

It will design policy across Whitehall and resources will come from the existing health budget, according to the Department of Health and Social Care, where it will be based.

Meanwhile, English Heritage is scheduled to reopen more than 50 outdoor sites on Monday that have been closed to the public since December.

• NOW THAT'S WHAT I CALL LOCKDOWN: The music that got you through
• WALKING HOME ALONE: "I'm just too terrified"

Are you getting married today or returning to sport? Tell us what the latest easing of restrictions means for you. Email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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2021-03-29 07:20:07Z
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COVID-19: Boris Johnson hopes lockdown easing can kickstart 'Great British summer of sport' - but urges caution - Sky News

Boris Johnson says he hopes the relaxation of COVID rules in England kickstarts a "Great British summer of sport" - but has urged people to remain cautious and to stick to the rules.

From today:

• Groups of up to six people - or two households - can socialise in parks and gardens
• Football and cricket pitches, tennis and basketball courts, outdoor swimming pools can reopen
• Golf course and sailing clubs can reopen
• Organised team sports can resume outdoors
• People should still work from home if possible and minimise their journeys
• The 'stay at home' order is being replace with a 'stay local' instruction

Elsewhere:

• In Wales the 'stay local' order ended on Saturday
• People are allowed to stay in self-contained holiday accommodation
• In Scotland the 'stay home' order ends on Friday
• In Northern Ireland, up to six people - two households - can meet outside from Thursday

The prime minister said he hopes the return of outdoor activities will "kickstart a Great British summer of sport" and that "many will welcome the increased social contact".

Mr Johnson has tried to lose weight since his hospitalisation with COVID-19 last year and called for the public to participate in a fitness drive, with children recommended to aim for an hour of physical activity a day, and adults for at least 150 minutes.

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Image: The four stages of England's lockdown lifting

He said: "I know how much people have missed the camaraderie and competition of organised sport, and how difficult it has been to restrict physical activities - especially for children.

"So as teams return to outdoor pitches, courts, parks and fields, I hope today will kickstart a Great British summer of sport - with people of all ages reunited with teammates, and able to resume the activities they love.

More from Boris Johnson

Image: The rule of six comes back into force on Monday

"I know many will welcome the increased social contact, with groups of six or two households now also able to meet outdoors."

Also, a new Office for Health Promotion will be formed to tackle obesity and poor mental health, as lockdown restrictions are eased.

England World Cup-winning cricket captain Eoin Morgan said: "With summer - and the cricket season - just around the corner, there's no better time for everyone, young and old, to get back to having fun by getting outdoors, being active and playing sport."

However, Mr Johnson reminded people to exercise caution, and stick to existing rules on meeting up indoors and travelling, particularly amid a third wave of COVID-19 in Europe and the threat of virus variants.

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'I'll be going to the pub in a few days'

"We must remain cautious with cases rising across Europe and new variants threatening our vaccine rollout," he said.

"Despite today's easements, everyone must continue to stick to the rules, remember hands, face, space, and come forward for a vaccine when called."

Mr Johnson previously said Britons should be "under no illusions" that Europe's third wave would hit the UK too.

"Previous experience has taught us that when a wave hits our friends, I'm afraid it washes up on our shores as well," he said.

Although, he said there was "nothing in the data to dissuade [him] from continuing on the roadmap to freedom".

On Sunday, Stephen Powis, medical director of NHS England, urged people to continue to follow the rules and limit contact with others, saying the easing "does not mean job done."

"We've made enormous progress that we need to build on and not squander the gains we've made," he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

Under the government's roadmap to lifting lockdown, shops, hairdressers and outdoor dining in England are to reopen on 12 April, followed by indoor venues on 17 May.

Mr Johnson is counting on falling cases and deaths, and a rapid vaccination rollout, to help the UK end the coronavirus lockdown for good in June.

More than 30 million people - 57% of all UK adults - have received a first vaccine dose so far. Almost 7% of adults have had both doses.

Ministers remain confident that all over-50s will have been offered a first dose by 15 April. The government aims to offer all adults a jab by the end of July.

Meanwhile, Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of Britain's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said it was vital that people who had received a vaccine remain cautious.

Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

"It's really important that people who are vaccinated remember that they aren't completely protected," he told the BBC.

"They're protected against severe disease, hospitalisation and death, but they might not be protected against infection after one dose, it takes three or four weeks for the vaccine effects to kick in, and they could potentially still transmit."

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2021-03-28 21:38:27Z
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COVID-19: Boris Johnson hopes lockdown easing can kickstart 'Great British summer of sport' - but urges caution - Sky News

Boris Johnson says he hopes Monday's relaxation of COVID rules in England kickstarts a "Great British summer of sport" - but has urged people to remain cautious and to stick to the rules.

From Monday, groups of up to six, or two households, are able to reunite outdoors, and outdoor sport can resume.

The stay at home order is also being replaced with a message to stay local, as part of Mr Johnson's roadmap out of lockdown.

The prime minister said he hopes the return of outdoor activities will "kickstart a Great British summer of sport" and that "many will welcome the increased social contact".

Image: The four stages of England's lockdown lifting

He said: "I know how much people have missed the camaraderie and competition of organised sport, and how difficult it has been to restrict physical activities - especially for children.

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"So as teams return to outdoor pitches, courts, parks and fields, I hope today will kickstart a Great British summer of sport - with people of all ages reunited with teammates, and able to resume the activities they love.

Image: The rule of six comes back into force on Monday

"I know many will welcome the increased social contact, with groups of six or two households now also able to meet outdoors."

More from Boris Johnson

However, Mr Johnson reminded people to exercise caution, and stick to existing rules on meeting up indoors and travelling, particularly amid a third wave of COVID-19 in Europe and the threat of virus variants.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

'I'll be going to the pub in a few days'

"We must remain cautious with cases rising across Europe and new variants threatening our vaccine rollout," he said.

"Despite today's easements, everyone must continue to stick to the rules, remember hands, face, space, and come forward for a vaccine when called."

Mr Johnson previously said Britons should be "under no illusions" that Europe's third wave would hit the UK too.

"Previous experience has taught us that when a wave hits our friends, I'm afraid it washes up on our shores as well," he said.

Although, he said there was "nothing in the data to dissuade [him] from continuing on the roadmap to freedom".

On Sunday, Stephen Powis, medical director of NHS England, urged people to continue to follow the rules and limit contact with others, saying the easing "does not mean job done."

"We've made enormous progress that we need to build on and not squander the gains we've made," he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph newspaper.

Under the government's roadmap to lifting lockdown, shops, hairdressers and outdoor dining in England are to reopen on 12 April, followed by indoor venues on 17 May.

Mr Johnson is counting on falling cases and deaths, and a rapid vaccination rollout, to help the UK end the coronavirus lockdown for good in June.

More than 30 million people - 57% of all UK adults - have received a first vaccine dose so far. Almost 7% of adults have had both doses.

Ministers remain confident that all over-50s will have been offered a first dose by 15 April. The government aims to offer all adults a jab by the end of July.

Meanwhile, Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of Britain's Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, said it was vital that people who had received a vaccine remain cautious.

Subscribe to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

"It's really important that people who are vaccinated remember that they aren't completely protected," he told the BBC.

"They're protected against severe disease, hospitalisation and death, but they might not be protected against infection after one dose, it takes three or four weeks for the vaccine effects to kick in, and they could potentially still transmit."

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2021-03-28 21:33:45Z
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MP Neale Hanvey defects from SNP to new Alba Party - BBC News

PA Media

Neale Hanvey has become the second MP to defect from the SNP and join Alex Salmond's new pro-independence party.

On Saturday, former justice secretary Kenny MacAskill said he would stand as a candidate for the Alba Party.

Mr Hanvey, who holds the Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath seat, said the new party provided "a tonic for our movement" .

Alex Salmond launched Alba on Friday with the aim of building "a supermajority for independence" at Holyrood after the election in May.

Mr Hanvey said: "Like so many, I have been angered by our powerlessness in the face of Brexit and share the frustration of many who feel the aspirations of the independence movement are being ignored.

"The Alba Party provide a tonic for our movement with an unashamedly optimistic vision for Scotland's impending transition to an independent European nation."

• MP Kenny MacAskill quits SNP for new Alba Party
• Former SNP leader Alex Salmond launches new party
• SNP results may cause problems for Nicola Sturgeon

He added: "The Alba party's growing membership will shape our policy priorities in the coming week. The people of Scotland will always be my priority so it's a very real honour to be standing for Alba and an independence supermajority."

The SNP said only both votes on 6 May "can put Scotland's future in Scotland's hands - not Boris Johnson's".

A spokesman said: "The SNP is focused on tackling Covid and securing a strong, fair and green recovery for Scotland as an independent country in a post-pandemic referendum."

Alba now has more MPs than Scottish Labour who only have Edinburgh South MP Ian Murray.

Two days after it launched, the Alba Party now has a bigger presence in the Commons than either Scottish Labour or the Greens.

Alex Salmond's breakaway from the SNP includes the former Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, who has talked about forming a group at Westminster - suggesting further defections to come.

So far, the new party has attracted those who empathise with Alex Salmond and his desire for a bigger focus on securing Scottish independence.

With Neale Hanvey and former SNP councillors Lynne Anderson and Caroline McAllister joining today, Alba also appears to be a home for those who fear that gender self-identification for trans people poses a threat to women's rights.

The strongest voice for this argument within the SNP is MP Joanna Cherry who was recently dumped from the party's front bench but she has rejected speculation about her defection.

Mr Hanvey had not always been on the right side of SNP officials. In February he was sacked from his frontbench role as vaccines spokesman.

And during the December 2019 Westminster election campaign he was suspended by the SNP after it emerged he had used anti-Semitic language on a social media post in 2016.

Following his suspension Mr Hanvey said he did not consider himself to be anti-Semitic and was "genuinely and deeply sorry".

'Yesterday's war'

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross said: "Sturgeon and Salmond may now despise each other but they are united by their obsessive determination to rip Scotland out of the United Kingdom.

"All focus should be on the pandemic and our recovery but Sturgeon's SNP and Salmond's ultra-nationalists want this election to be another divisive fight about the constitution.

"With the very real threat of a so-called Nationalist 'super majority', pro-union parties cannot sit on the fence and continuing to do so would be naive in the extreme."

• SNP MP Neale Hanvey sacked from frontbench
• SNP to readmit MP after anti-Semitism probe

Scottish Labour's campaign co-chairman Neil Bibby said: "The defection of the controversial Neale Hanvey to the Alba Party reveals the utter disarray that the SNP is in. Scotland deserves so much better than this politics of grudge, personality and ego.

"Neale Hanvey and Kenny MacAskill must both stand down and give their constituents the chance to elect politicians more interested in guaranteeing Scotland's recovery than endlessly refighting yesterday's war."

Scottish Liberal Democrat campaign chairman Alistair Carmichael MP said: "Like paint chipping off an old and decaying wall, Neale Hanvey's defection is the latest episode in the Nationalists' bitter, twisted and divided civil war."

Website hacked

Lorna Slater, co-leader of the pro-independence Scottish Greens, said the new Alba Party would not affect her party's chances of doing well at the Holyrood election.

She told the BBC's Andrew Marr programme: "I absolutely don't agree that we are competing for the same voters. Scottish green voters care about the climate, they care about fairness, they care about human rights."

The Alba Party will only be standing candidates in the regional lists in an attempt to boost pro-independence numbers at Holyrood.

Supporters of Alex Salmond's new political project have had details hacked from its website.

On Saturday, it emerged that the Alba Party had details hacked from its website.

The party was alerted to a potential breach of the names of those supporting its events on the site, the day after its launch.

It claims this was the only detail to be hacked and said users could be "confident" the site was now secure.

A statement said: "We apologise that our site did not withstand this breach but assure all supporters that we will not allow this type of black arts activity to deflect from our entirely positive campaign to gain a supermajority for independence in the Scottish Parliament."

The party claimed it had closed the functionality which allowed the breach at 10:30 on Saturday and informed the Information Commissioner's Office of the action.

SCOTLAND'S ELECTION: THE BASICS

What elections are happening? On 6 May, people across Scotland will vote to elect 129 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). The party that wins the most seats will form the Scottish government. Find out more here.

What powers does the Scottish Parliament have? MSPs pass laws on most aspects of day-to-day life in Scotland, such as health, education and transport. They also have control over some taxes and welfare benefits. Defence, foreign policy and immigration are decided by the UK Parliament.

How do I vote? Anyone who lives in Scotland and is registered to vote is eligible, so long as they are aged 16 or over on the day of the election. You can register to vote online.

What impact will the Alba Party have?

PA Media

By Sir John Curtice, Professor of Politics at Strathclyde University

The honest answer is, we do not know what impact the Alba Party might have until we get some opinion polls. And the early polls will be important for Alex Salmond.

If they suggest that less than 5% of the public are minded to vote for his party then he is running the risk of emerging from the election empty handed. And if that persists for a couple of weeks or so then we may suddenly discover that the wind has gone out of this particular story.

Remember, for example, BBC Scotland is holding its leaders' debate on Tuesday and Mr Salmond will not be there.

However, what we can look at just now is evidence of opinion polls on how popular or unpopular Mr Salmond is. The Alba Party for the most part is going to be regarded by many as Alex Salmond's party and therefore what they think of Mr Salmond is likely to matter.

The problem Mr Salmond faces is he is not a very popular politician anymore. We have had two opinion polls which asked people if they regarded Mr Salmond favourably or unfavourably. They both came back with the same answer - 14% of the public in Scotland regarded him favourably and among SNP voters, not much higher at about 16%.

If you make the generous assumption that perhaps Mr Salmond might be able to persuade all of those people who are minded to vote for the SNP on the list and think of him favourably and vote for his party on that second ballot then, yes, you can see how he might get 7% or 8% of the vote. That would take the Alba Party over the threshold of picking up a regional list seat. But that is being pretty optimistic, in politics you rarely succeed in getting 100% of a particular niche market.

John Curtice is Professor of Politics and Senior Research Fellow, ScotCen Social Research and 'The UK in a Changing Europe'. He was speaking to BBC Scotland's Sunday Show

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2021-03-28 15:52:13Z
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COVID-19: UK hits 30 million first coronavirus vaccine doses - 57% of all adults - Sky News

More than 30 million people in the UK have now had a first COVID vaccine dose.

Government figures show 30,151,287 have had a first dose - around 57% of all UK adults - after more than 600,000 were administered on Saturday.

A total of 3,527,481 people have had two doses - 6% of adults.

Ministers remain confident that all over-50s will have been offered a first dose by 15 April. The government aims to offer all adults a jab by the end of July.

The 30 million threshold was passed as 3,862 new coronavirus cases and 19 deaths were reported on Sunday - down from 5,312 and 33 a week ago.

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I'm absolutely thrilled that more than 30 million people have now had the jab - including 650,000 vaccinations delivered yesterday.

The vaccine is saving lives and is our route out of this pandemic. Massive thanks to the team.

When you get the call - get the jab! pic.twitter.com/Ig5Y68aCaC

— Matt Hancock (@MattHancock) March 28, 2021

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "I'm absolutely thrilled that more than 30 million people have now had the jab across the UK - including 650,000 vaccinations delivered yesterday.

More from Covid-19

"The vaccine is saving lives and is our route out of this pandemic. I want to say a massive thanks to the team.

"When you get the call - get the jab."

Britain's first vaccine shot - and the first globally outside a clinical trial - was given to Margaret Keenan on 8 December.

The UK has planned to ensure everyone gets their second dose on time - in the 12-week timeframe, said a government minister on Sunday.

That means many in the older age groups will be fully vaccinated in the coming weeks.

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Second jab supply 'factored into planning' - Dowden

"Yes, of course, we've been planning that all the way through," Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told Sky News' Sophy Ridge.

"It's one of the most important considerations as we've rolled out the vaccine. In all of our planning, we have factored in getting that second dose of the vaccine."

The UK is also expecting its first batch of Moderna jabs next month, which could see the vaccine rollout expanded to those aged between 40 and 49.

Image: The 40-49-year-old age group could get the call when the first Moderna shots arrive

"We examined the data from Moderna, which looks very promising," Professor Anthony Harnden, deputy chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), told BBC Breakfast on Sunday.

"If we've caught up with all those over-50s we want to reach out to, it makes sense to go toward our next age group, which is the 40 to 49-year-old age group."

In all, the UK has ordered 17 million doses of the Moderna jab, 100 million doses of Oxford-AstraZeneca, and 40 million of BioNTech/Pfizer.

It has also ordered millions of doses of vaccines not yet approved by the UK's medicines regulator:

• GlaxoSmithKline/Sanofi Pasteur (60 million doses)
• Novavax (60 million doses)
• Janssen (30 million doses)
• Valneva (100 million doses)
• CureVac (50 million doses)

Image: The four stages of England's lockdown lifting

The vaccine rollout's success is an important part of ensuring England's roadmap out of lockdown stays on track.

Boris Johnson has said there is so far nothing in the data that suggests it will be delayed.

On Monday, England's stay at home order ends, the rule of six returns outdoors, and organised outdoor sport can also resume.

People are still being encouraged to stay local however.

It comes a few weeks ahead of the next phase on 12 April, when outdoor hospitality, gyms and hairdressers can also get back to business.

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2021-03-28 15:33:12Z
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Covid-19: UK 'confident' of second vaccine doses within 12 weeks - BBC News

The government is "confident" everyone in the UK will get a second dose of the Covid vaccine within 12 weeks of their first, the culture secretary has said.

Questioned about the concerns over vaccine supply, Oliver Dowden said "we always knew there would be ups and downs" but the timetable was on track.

He told the BBC's Andrew Marr it was "essential" to provide second doses and it would not require mixing vaccines.

Meanwhile, the first Moderna jabs are due to arrive in the UK by late April.

It is the third vaccine of seven that the UK has put in an order for - and the UK is lined up to receive 17 million doses. Like the Pfizer-BioNTech and Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs which are already in use, the Moderna jab is given in two doses several weeks apart.

The latest government figures show the number of people to have received a first dose of either the Pfizer or the Oxford jabs has passed 30 million - but vaccine supply issues have continued to make the rollout bumpy.

Earlier this month, the NHS warned of a significant reduction in jabs available in England in April, and there has been a delay to Oxford-AstraZeneca shipments from India. There are also tensions from the EU over the supply of jabs.

Meanwhile, Northern Ireland's First Minister Arlene Foster has said she hopes the UK will give vaccine doses to the Republic of Ireland, in a bid to help stop the spread of infection in Northern Ireland. She said the idea was "very practical" and she would speak to Boris Johnson about it again.

The data shows 423,852 UK adults received a first dose of a vaccine on Saturday, taking the overall number to 30,151,287 - with 233,964 having their second dose, bringing that total to 3,527,481.

Another 19 deaths of people within 28 days of a positive Covid test were also recorded on Sunday, compared to 33 on the same day last week, along with a further 3,862 cases.

'Slow-down'

Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Mr Dowden said: "We're on track both with the rollout of the vaccine and the roadmap.

"You will have seen the ups and downs - we were surging ahead a couple of weeks ago, there's been a bit of a slow-down now.

"But that doesn't undermine our confidence that we will be able to deliver for that crucial group, the over-50s, by the middle of April and then for the rest of the adult population by the end of July."

Asked whether there will be enough supply for everyone to get their second dose, Mr Dowden said: "That is absolutely essential and in all our planning throughout this, we have borne in mind that we have to get that second top-up and so we're confident we will be able to deliver it.

He also said the government was confident that vaccination centres could meet the 12-week deadline on second doses without resorting to mixing of vaccines - giving a Oxford jab to someone who had Pfizer first time round or vice versa.

Are the vaccinators on track with second doses?

• As of Friday, more than 3.2 million people have now had their second dose
• To work out whether the NHS has so far been giving doses within the 12 week-timeframe, we can go back and look at when 3.2 million people had their first dose - that was achieved by 15 January
• So all those 3.2 million people needed to have their second dose by 9 April; that's still 12 days away, which suggests the programme is meeting its targets, even accounting for small changes in the order of people being recalled for second doses
• However, the rate at which first vaccines were given accelerated sharply from mid-January - so it will become more challenging in the coming weeks to deliver the same number of second jabs

Mr Dowden also said people "still need to abide by the rules after Monday", which is when lockdown rules are next eased in England.

From Monday, six people or two households are allowed to gather together outside and the "stay at home" rule will be lifted, which coincides with forecasts of warm and sunny weather in some areas.

In Wales, the "stay local" rule was lifted on Saturday and people were allowed to meet in groups of six outside.

But some experts have expressed hesitancy at the planned relaxation of rules.

Prof Mark Woolhouse, who sits on a group that feeds into the government's Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), said he was "a little bit nervous" about the full relaxation planned for 21 June at the earliest.

"This is the particularly important thing: exactly how well are the vaccines performing? If they are going at this rate, I think we can get quite close to a full release.

"The idea that we can suddenly emerge from this in one great bound, I think, is a little over-optimistic."

Mr Dowden defended the plan, saying it was "cautious" - and the five week gaps between each stage means the government has "four weeks to see the effect of the spread from the easing and then a week to prepare the rules".

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But some have been critical of the pace. Sir Richard Sykes, chairman of the scientific body the Royal Institution, said the UK has "gone from being cavalier to crippling caution" when it comes to handling Covid.

He told BBC Radio 4's Broadcasting House programme: "If we are not now well prepared to put up with anything that's thrown at us, then it's God help all of us because that's the best we can do at this point in time."

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It comes as a group of charities called for the UK to share its vaccines with poorer countries.

The UK, which has ordered 400 million vaccine doses and will have many left over if all of them do get approved for use, has said it will donate most of its surplus vaccine supply to poorer countries.

Mr Dowden told Sky News that the UK's first priority was delivering vaccines to itself, adding: "We clearly don't currently have a surplus of vaccines. Should we get to the point where we have a surplus of vaccines we'd make a decision on the allocation of that surplus."

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2021-03-28 15:15:01Z
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