COVID-19 crisis: UK PM Johnson says hospitality industry will not reopen before July 4

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said on June 12 that the hospitality industry in the country will not be opened before July and while addressing the parliament he urged that “we are sticking to our plan”. According to international media reports, the date decides to kickstart the industry after the coronavirus outbreak is successfully contained on July 4. Johnson has told the British lawmakers that guidance for the entire industry was currently being formulated but there have been constant challenges of new risks and they did not want to see a “bacchanalian” number of people who have the potential to spread COVID-19.

The British PM has also clarified that even though the number of coronavirus cases in the country is beginning to decrease, the UK most decisions of reopening various sectors will be “driven by science” not on hope or need of boosting the economy. In the upcoming months, Johnson has urged people to follow the guidelines and indicated that the hospitality industry will resume only if social distancing is followed. However, Johnson stressed repeatedly that all the plans put forth by the government are “conditional”. 

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British PM, “At the earliest by July - and subject to all these conditions and further scientific advice; if and only if the numbers support it, we will hope to re-open at least some of the hospitality industry and other public places, provided they are safe and enforce social distancing.

“Throughout this period of the next two months, we will be driven not by mere hope or economic necessity. We are going to be driven by the science, the data and public health,” he added. 

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‘Two metres apart’

Till now according to Johns Hopkins University tally, UK has recorded at least 292,860  confirmed cases of coronavirus infections with 41,364 deaths. However, now the British government has proposed a new rule that citizens can now meet up to five people who are not part of the household but have recommended to remain ‘two metres apart’.

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