- Title: Londoners in two minds over UK plans to relax lockdown
- Date: 7th May 2020
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MAY 7, 2020) (REUTERS) HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT AND RIVER THAMES STREET LAMP / HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT PEOPLE WALKING BY RIVER VIEW OVER RIVER POLICE BOAT WOMAN WALKING OVER BRIDGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) HOTEL SALES MANAGER, MARCIA PULLEN, SAYING: "I think we've been locked up for so long. I can see other country's easing, but maybe it would be best to see what the outcome of those countries are first before they do anything here drastic, because otherwise there's no point in going through all of this suffering for weeks on end and then we're back at square one again. I don't know, I veer between two different opinions." MAN RUNNING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PUBLISHER, KATE GUNNING, SAYING: "I do feel nervous, for instance the thought of getting onto public transport frightens me, I just don't see how that's going to be workable if we're going to keep social distancing." PEOPLE WALKING WITH MASKS PEOPLE WALKING PAST SKATE PARK (SOUNDBITE) (English) LAWYER, STEVE GOCKE, SAYING: "I do understand people need to get out. I've been locked down for almost seven or eight weeks and it is pretty grim, but I don't know how the public is going to respond to it, and we haven't actually contained - well we might have contained - the virus but it hasn't gone away, so I'm just worried about the second phase, basically." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE SITTING IN PARK AREA WOMAN WALKING WITH BABY (SOUNDBITE) (English) ATTORNEY, AVISH DHANIRAM, SAYING: "I think once it's done in a smart way so that we're not all back Monday morning... anything to avoid that second peak, really, because the last thing we want is four to five days from now another announcement that we're in for the rest of the summer. So if it can be done in a good and smart, scientific-approached way, that's the best that we can hope for." TRAFFIC ON STREET
- Embargoed: 21st May 2020 12:32
- Keywords: COVID-19 Londoners coronavirus easing restrictions lockdown pandemic
- Location: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- City: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001CCXKO5J
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: There were mixed feelings on the streets of London on Thursday (May 7) as reports emerged that Britain would outline a phased five-stage plan to ease the coronavirus lockdown from Monday (May 11).
Britons have been living under lockdown since March 23 and the government promised a review by Thursday (May 7).
Many of those who spoke to Reuters said they were afraid the lockdown was being lifted too quickly and that they felt reluctant to take public transport.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce the changing restrictions on Sunday (May 10), reported to start with the reopening of garden centres and more people being encouraged to return to work from the following day.
UK newspapers reported that by the end of May, primary schools are planned to reopen with smaller class sizes, before secondary schools return a month later, alongside gatherings of up to 30 people.
Pubs and restaurants are then forecast to open their doors in late August with strict social distancing rules in place, while gyms, leisure centres and professional sports return in October.
Meanwhile the UK's coronavirus death toll passed 30,000 on Wednesday (May 6) as 649 more people died across the country.
Health authorities said more than 200,000 are infected now as the deadly bug continues to spread.
Britain now has the highest COVID-19 death toll in Europe and is second globally behind the U.S..
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