Prime Minister Boris Johnson says plans for taking the country out of lockdown will be revealed from Febuary 22 as he confirmed today that schools would stay shut for the time being and that new travel restrictions would be introduced.
In a statement to the House of Commons today ahead of a press conference in Downing Street tonight,the PM said it would not be possible for pupils to return to schools immediately after the February half-term.
He also said announced tougher measures to halt the arrival of new strains of coronavirus into the 海角视频, including plans for a 10-day quarantine in hotels or other government-provided accommodation for travellers from high-risk "red list" countries.
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It covers states already subject to a travel ban due to concern over strains of coronavirus, including South Africa, Portugal and South American nations.
One trade body has warned the travel restrictions could hit the travel and aviation sectors.
Boris Johnson told the Commons: “The first sign of normality beginning to return should be pupils going back to their classrooms. I know how parents and teachers need as much certainty as possible including two weeks’ notice of the return of face-to-face teaching.
“So I must inform the House that for the reasons I have outlined it will not be possible to reopen schools immediately after the February half-term. But I know how frustrating that will be for pupils and teachers who want nothing more than to get back to the classroom."
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The Prime Minister said the R rate had come down but that there was not enough data yet to show when the country could reopen.
He added: “What we do know is that we remain in a perilous situation with more than 37,000 patients now in hospital with Covid, almost double the peak of the first wave, but the overall picture should be clearer by mid-February. By then we will know much more about the effect of vaccines in preventing hospitalisations and deaths.
"So I can tell the House that when Parliament returns from recess in the week commencing 22nd February subject to the full agreement of the House, we intend to set out the results of that review and publish our plan for taking the country out of lockdown. That plan will of course depend on the continued success of our vaccination programme, the capacity of the NHS and on deaths falling at the pace we would expect as more people are inoculated.
“I know the measures I am setting out today will be deeply frustrating to many honourable friends and colleagues, and disappointing for all of us.
“But the way forward has been clear ever since the vaccines arrived and as we inoculate more people hour by hour, this is the time to hold our nerve in the end game of the battle against the virus.
“Our goal now must be to buy the extra weeks we need to immunise the most vulnerable and get this virus under control so that together we can defeat this most wretched disease, reclaim our lives once and for all.”
“If we achieve our target of vaccinating everyone in the four most vulnerable groups with their first dose by February 15, and every passing day sees more progress towards that goal, then those groups (will) have developed immunity from the virus about three-weeks later, that is by March 8.
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“We hope it will therefore be safe to begin the reopening of schools from Monday, March 8... with other economic and social restrictions being removed thereafter as and when the data permits… then or thereafter I should say.”
The Prime Minister also updated the House on new border restrictions.
He said: “I want to make clear that under the stay at home regulations, it is illegal to leave home to travel abroad for leisure purposes and we will enforce this at ports and airports by asking people why they are leaving and instructing them to return home if they do not have a valid reason to travel.
“We have also banned all travel from 22 countries where there is a risk of known variants including South Africa, Portugal and South American nations.
“And in order to reduce the risk posed by 海角视频 nationals and residents returning home from these countries, I can announce that we will require all such arrivals who cannot be refused entry to isolate in Government provided accommodation, such as hotels, for 10 days without exception.
“They will be met at the airport and transported directly into quarantine. The Department of Health and Social Care is working to establish these facilities as quickly as possible.”
Paul Everitt, chief executive of air and defence trade body ADS, said: “These latest measures to restrict international travel will worsen the severe downturn in aviation and deepen the crisis in the 海角视频 aerospace industry.
“ to ensure aerospace manufacturers and our supply chains can survive until these measures are lifted and demand returns.
“Travel and high value aerospace manufacturing are vital to the 海角视频 economy. A successful recovery will depend on quickly developing a strategy for travel restrictions and quarantine to be lifted, allowing trade and tourism to resume safely.
“The Government must work with international counterparts to put in place the resilient system needed to achieve this goal, including testing of passengers before and after travel, and travel corridors with our overseas partners that can be sustained.”
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