The lockdown is not over yet.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan sought to clear up some of the confusion following last night’s government lockdown briefing. He’s made it as clear as can be that the lockdown has NOT been lifted.
“I want to be as clear as possible with Londoners,” he said in a video posted online. “Lockdown has not been lifted and we’re not returning to life as it was before.”
He continued by urging viewers to stay at home and confirming social distancing measures would be in place for “some time”. This is presumably in response to the government’s ‘Stay At Home’ messaging being changed to the rather dubious ‘Stay Alert’ message.
He later went on to say you must only be outside alone or with members of your own household while keeping a safe distance from others. He also encouraged employers to stagger working hours to ensure workers could avoid the rush hour. Rules do state, however, that anyone should avoid public transport where they can.
He concluded his statement by saying: “I am determined that London’s recovery will lead to a better, fairer and greener city.”
Sunday’s Lockdown Briefing
Boris Johnson’s briefing to the nation yesterday (May 10) was met with mixed messages. Vague language in the statement seemingly left more questions than answers. It was initially stated that those who can, should return to work on Monday (May 11), just hours after the statement was provided. Chancellor Dominic Raab later said that this only applied to construction workers, and that it would come into play this coming Wednesday (May 13).
Johnson also announced that the public could leave the house for “unlimited exercise” and would be allowed to “sit in parks” and play outdoor sports with household members. This led to confusion over social distancing measures.
The UK’s new #covid19 messaging: #StayHome
Protect the NHS
Save LivesReplaced by….#StayAlert
Control the Virus
Save Lives pic.twitter.com/UySkcBaqpD— Darran Marshall (@DarranMarshall) May 9, 2020
Dominic Raab compounded this confusion by announcing rules that, in fact, were not permitted by the government. The former Brexit secretary was asked if you could meet both parents under new rules. He told Radio 4 that “you could if they’re two metres apart”. This is certainly not in line with social distancing measures, and the official advice is yet to be clarified.
It also seems as if not all of the UK officials agree with these new ‘Stay Alert’ measures. Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon claimed she hadn’t been told of the new message. She added that Scotland would be sticking with the ‘Stay Home, Save Lives’ advice.
The Sunday papers is the first I’ve seen of the PM’s new slogan. It is of course for him to decide what’s most appropriate for England, but given the critical point we are at in tackling the virus, #StayHomeSaveLives remains my clear message to Scotland at this stage. https://t.co/zrnEgTC15H
— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) May 10, 2020
Whatever follows, it appears that some real clarification is needed over the next few days as the UK enters this new phase.
Read: Prime Minister Boris Johnson Has Outlined Initial Steps In Easing Lockdown Measures
[Featured image: Shutterstock]