Plans to slowly ease lockdown restrictions could see normal life return by July with staycations and hospitality open months before.
Ministers are said to be considering a 'blueprint' that is set to include the return of holiday lets in April as part of limited Easter easing, according to a comprehensive report today by .
Boris Johnson and his cabinet are this week finalising plans to gradually bring the country out of lockdown with a .
The Daily Mail reports that the four-stage easing of restrictions will begin with schools re-opening in March with life returning to a form of normality, potentially still with measures such as face masks and social distancing, by July.
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The 'blueprint' reported by The Mail gives this timetable:
March
Schools are expected to re-open no earlier than March 8.
It is still not known if there will be a phased return of pupils or if the government will ask all pupils to go back at once.
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More outdoor activity is also expected to be allowed, which would permit sports such as golf and tennis, as well as some limited social gatherings outside.
April
March 31 is the official date the current lockdown legislation for England ends and so MPs will have to approve any extension to lockdown rules after this date.
This will likely depend on case numbers, which have begun to fall, as well as vaccinations, which recently passed 15 million people.
Non-essential retail is likely to re-open in late March or early April according to reports, with open-air markets more likely to open first.
The Mail Online reports that said to be likely that the re-opening of holiday lets and hotels will be permitted for Easter, as well as outdoor activities such as golf and tennis.
Previous reports had suggested that self-catering holidays within the 海角视频 could be allowed by this point but only with your own household.
But Brits have also been warned against booking “elaborate” summer holidays later in the year - even if they’re just in the 海角视频 - because it is “too early to say” what the coronavirus crisis will look like.
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Jonathan Van-Tam said complex holidays that cross borders or involve several households were stepping into “the unknown.”
May
Pubs, bars and restaurants will reportedly be next in line to have their restrictions lifted in early May under the new plans.
This will allow for a maximum of two households to be sat together indoors and the rule-of-six continuing to apply outdoors.
But when pubs do re-open at last it has already been widely reported that previous restrictions, such as the 10pm curfew and "substantial meal" requirement, will be scrapped.
It's also likely that 'Covid secure' measures would remain in place when they are allowed to serve customers again.
Wetherspoon boss Tim Martin has called for , arguing that premises are Covid-secure.
June
The Mail's blueprint suggests that the rules for pubs and restaurants will be relaxed further by the half-way point of the year.
This is said to mean that the rule-of-six would begin to apply indoors as well as outdoors.
July
This is the month that ministers are hoping will see a return to relative normality with the hope that life could be 'broadly normal.'
The hospitality and holiday industries within Britain could be allowed to return to normal in July, it has been reported, but with social distancing measures continuing to stay in place.
Despite the return to lighter restrictions it is said that office staff are expected to be told to keep working from home when the roadmap is unveiled.
Government scientists are thought to want to keep social distancing rules in place for the "foreseeable future".
It is now thought that all adults could be given both vaccine doses by August as the rollout gathers pace.
When will all of this be announced?
Ministers will not make a final decision on the timetable until this weekend after being handed the latest data on the spread of Covid.
Boris Johnson is expected to unveil the plan on Monday.
In Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon has said some children will head back to the classroom in a phased return but warned there 'would be trade-offs' in other freedoms with all existing lockdown measures remaining in place until at least the end of this month.
In Wales, schoolchildren are expected to return from Monday with the potential opening up to holidaymakers for Easter but visitors should not expect to be eating out.
The Welsh Government is expected to as Covid cases fall thanks to lockdown and vaccinations.
First Minister Mark Drakeford has been pressed on what parts of the tourism economy could reopen for Easter in April - a crucial period for the sector.
He said that they could pursue a similar policy to that last summer with self contained holiday accommodation opening first.
This could mean cottages, lodges and potentially hotel rooms being opened for bookings.
What do you think of lockdown easing plans - is it too soon to consider the re-opening of bars and restaurants - be part of the conversation in the comments section below