Lockdown: Boris Johnson to announce 17 May changes for England

The next stage of lockdown easing is likely to see the reopening of indoor hospitality

Indoor hospitality and household mixing are set to return from next Monday, as the PM is due to confirm the next stage of lockdown easing in England.

Boris Johnson is expected to say the data supports a further relaxation of measures at a 17:00 BST Downing Street news conference later.

It could also include guidance that it is now safe to hug friends and family.

Health Minister Nadine Dorries said she was "hopeful" hugging could be allowed but urged people to act "cautiously".

Ahead of the Downing Street briefing, the UK reduced its Covid alert level from level four to three, meaning the virus is in general circulation but transmission is no longer high or rising exponentially, so restrictions can be gradually reduced.

Under the next stage of the government's road map for lifting England's lockdown, people will be able to meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors, while six people or two households can meet indoors.

People are also likely to be allowed to stay overnight with those not in their household or bubble. Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality venues such as cinemas and soft play areas are set to be permitted to reopen indoors.

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A government science adviser said that if the guidance does allow hugs, they should be selective, brief, and should avoid face-to-face contact to minimise the risk of spreading the virus.

But Ms Dorries said "the data is looking extremely positive" when she was asked if the guidance would be relaxed to allow hugging between friends and family.

"We've all missed the hugs, we've all missed the close and intimate contact we've had with friends and family and so I'm hopeful that we will be hugging and kissing again indoors," she told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

She stressed that people should take this step "a little bit cautiously" to protect people who may be vulnerable and avoid a resurgence of the virus, however.

Unlocking a sign of success in fighting infection

It is a sign of how successful the country has been in getting infection rates down that there is no doubt that the next unlocking will take place.

Allowing indoor mixing was always the step that concerned experts the most in the roadmap - given how much easier the virus spreads indoors compared to outdoors.

Modelling earlier this year warned there could be a deadly summer surge - but that now looks overly pessimistic.

Lockdown and social distancing has done most of the hard work in getting infection levels low, but now the vaccines are going to take the load.

From the evidence gathered so far, they are more than up to the job in combating the dominant virus in the UK.

Early signs are also promising for the variants.

Some scientists are even suggesting the UK could be on brink of reaching herd immunity.

As always with this virus, it would be foolish to get too far ahead of ourselves. But the signs look very promising.

As part of other measures set to be relaxed, the rest of the accommodation sector is to reopen, along with indoor group sports and exercise classes.

And up to 30 people are to be allowed to attend weddings, receptions and wakes, as well as funerals.

Foreign holidays will also return. On Friday, the government announced that 12 destinations would be placed on England's travel green list, meaning anyone returning from those areas will not need to quarantine from 17 May.

Monday's announcement of lockdown easing will be stage three of the road map announced by the government in February, with the final stage scheduled for 21 June, when the government hopes to remove all legal restrictions on social contact.

Each stage has been separated by a gap of several weeks to allow scientists to assess the impact of previous changes, which in stage two included the reopening of non-essential shops and outdoor service in pubs and restaurants.

The government has to be satisfied that its four tests have been met before progressing to the next stage.

These tests rest on the successful rollout of vaccines; evidence that jabs are reducing serious illness and death; infection rates being under control and the risk from coronavirus variants not changing.

The government said the latest data suggested that easing restrictions from 17 May was unlikely to risk a resurgence in infections. It said infection rates were at the lowest level since September 2020 and hospital admissions were continuing to decrease.

On Sunday, the UK recorded another two deaths within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test and a further 1,770 cases.

Mr Johnson said: "The data reflects what we already knew - we are not going to let this virus beat us.

"The roadmap remains on track, our successful vaccination programme continues - more than two-thirds of adults in the UK have now had the first vaccine - and we can now look forward to unlocking, cautiously but irreversibly."

More than 35.3 million people have received one Covid vaccine dose and 17.6 million people have had both doses.

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Prof Cath Noakes, a member of the Sage committee that advises the government, told the BBC on Sunday that if people hugged their friends every time they see them, it would "perpetuate an awful lot of additional close contact that could spread the virus".

But she said the risk from grandparents who are fully vaccinated hugging their grandchildren was likely to be low in most cases.

The devolved nations are working to their own timeframe for easing restrictions.

In Wales, indoor hospitality such as pubs, cafes, restaurants, cinemas, theatres and museums are expected to reopen from 17 May. All tourist accommodation is due to reopen and wedding receptions can have up to 30 people indoors and 50 outdoors.

In Scotland from 17 May, indoor hospitality venues are expected to resume with alcohol being served until 22:30. Cinemas, amusement arcades and bingo halls should reopen and indoor group exercise restart.

More restrictions may be lifted in Northern Ireland on 24 May, including the reopening of indoor hospitality, B&Bs and hotels. Indoor group exercise could resume and wedding receptions and funeral wakes restart.

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