15 February 2021

Ministers are understood to be preparing a four-speed plan for restarting the economy. The speed of the lifting of restrictions will be based on latest virus data Downing Street will review early this week. It will see all shops, pubs and restaurants reopen anywhere between early May and August.

There will be nationwide tiers, which will be reviewed fortnightly. “The dates will move around according to what the pandemic’s doing,” said a No 10 source. PM Boris Johnson is expected to address the nation on 22 February.

Schoolchildren will return from 8 March, the PM will confirm this week: schools are being prioritised with a slower easing of measures elsewhere. Vaccine minister Nadhim Zahawi confirmed over the weekend the target of vaccinating the 15m most vulnerable adults has been met ahead of schedule.

It is unclear when showrooms will be able to reopen but there is speculation non-essential shops may be allowed to open by Easter on 4 April as “they have historically not affected the virus’s reproductive rate”.

The Conservative Covid Recovery Group is calling for an earlier return to full normality by the end of April once the nine priority groups have been vaccinated. It is on the basis “those groups represent 99% of Covid deaths and about 80% of hospitalisation”, said the group of backbench MPs.

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Tags: Coronavirus, lockdown