Government consider reducing two metre social distancing restriction which 'could help schools and pubs reopen’

Boris Johnson is considering reducing the two-metre social-distancing restriction to allow schools in England to reopen fully by September.
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Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer criticised the Government’s efforts to get pupils back into class, using an article in The Daily Telegraph to claim “mismanagement” was putting at risk both the welfare and education of children.

The newspaper reported Mr Johnson is looking at following World Health Organisation advice and cutting the distance people should remain apart from two metres to one – guidance already followed by countries including France, Denmark and Singapore.

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At Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, he promised to “keep that two-metre rule under constant review”.

The two metre social distancing restriction could be reduced to one metre to help schools and pubs reopenThe two metre social distancing restriction could be reduced to one metre to help schools and pubs reopen
The two metre social distancing restriction could be reduced to one metre to help schools and pubs reopen

As well as helping to make it easier for schools to open, slashing the social distancing restriction could help pubs and restaurants to start-up again, with Business Secretary Alok Sharma this week accepting that “for economic reasons, businesses will want to take a look at this two-metre rule”.

In a sign the Government could be preparing to announce a change, Sir Patrick Vallance, the UK’s chief scientific adviser, said at the daily Downing Street press briefing the two-metre advice was “not a rule”.

He said: “It is wrong to portray this as a scientific rule that says it is two metres or nothing – that is not what the advice has been and it is not what the advice is now.”

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Sir Keir called on the PM to act now to not risk missing his new target of all pupils returning to school by September after a U-turn on ambitions for all primary-aged children to have teaching time this term.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson was forced to admit defeat this week over plans for primary schools to fully reopen after some head teachers complained they could not limit class sizes to 15 pupils while taking in more year groups.

Sir Keir said “creativity” was needed to utilise empty buildings across Britain, including theatres, museums and libraries, so they could be “repurposed” as makeshift classrooms to ensure schools can resume fully after the summer holidays.

The debate over the two-metre guidance and schools reopening comes as further lockdown easing for England was announced by Mr Johnson.

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Some couples kept apart by lockdown restrictions will be able to reunite on Saturday and some grandparents will be able to hug their grandchildren as part of the PM’s plan for “support bubbles”, allowing adults living alone or single parents to mix with one other household.

They could interact as though they were one household, spending time together indoors, not having to follow the two-metre rule and would be allowed to stay overnight.

At the press briefing, Mr Johnson said: “We are making this change to support those who are particularly lonely as a result of lockdown measures.”

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