UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that upcoming Christmas would not be normal, but that the United Kingdom had turned a corner in the fight against COVID-19 and the escape route is in sight, after confirming that the current national lockdown will be lifted in England next week
LONDON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd November, 2020) UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Monday that upcoming Christmas would not be normal, but that the United Kingdom had turned a corner in the fight against COVID-19 and the escape route is in sight, after confirming that the current national lockdown will be lifted in England next week.
"This will be still a hard winter, Christmas cannot be normal, and there is a long road to Spring. But we have turned a corner: and the escape route is in sight," Johnson told Parliament via a videoconference as he unveiled his COVID-19 Winter Plan, which he said had been designed to "carry us safely to spring."
After confirming that the four-week lockdown will definitely end on December 2, and that it will not be renewed, Johnson announced that England would return to the tiered system of restrictions that were imposed before November 6.
He announced, however, that as of December 3, outdoor sports can resume and collective worship and weddings will be allowed, shops carrying non-essential goods, gyms, leisure facilities and hairdressers will reopen across England, and up to six people from different household can meet outdoors.
Johnson added that the central government is working with the semi autonomic authorities of Wales, Scotland and Norther Ireland, which have their own plans to tackle the pandemic, to come up with a plan for Christmas.
The prime minister, who has been self-isolating since last week after being in contact with a lawmaker who tested positive for the coronavirus, said people must hold against the virus until testing and vaccines come to the rescue and reduce the need for restrictions.
The UK has recorded 1,512,045 cases of COVID-19 and 55,024 deaths related to the disease since the pandemic began.
