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Matt Hancock has confirmed the government will announce further easing of the coronavirus lockdown this week, which the health secretary said he hoped would include a reduction of the two-metre rule.
Speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday morning, Hancock said: “This week we will announce further details of the measures we can take to relieve some of the national lockdown measures at the start of July including on July 4.”
Asked if this would include cutting the social-distancing guidelines, which many businesses and Tory MPs have warned would make reopening the hospitality industry almost impossible, Hancock said: “I very much hope that we can.”
He added screens and masks are measures that would mitigate the risk of spreading coronavirus if the two-metre rule is changed.
Hancock added reducing the distance people had to stay apart would also “undoubtedly” help with the full reopening of schools.
Boris Johnson is expected to reveal plans for the reopening of pubs, cafes, restaurants, hotels and possibly hairdressers from next month.
“We are about to see another’s step in the plan,” Hancock said. “The plan is clearly working because then umber of new infections is coming down.”
The health secretary also confirmed people might be asked to register their attendance before visiting a pub for a drink, as it would then make it easier to trace them should someone in the venue subsequently test positive for coronavirus.
Professor Peter Piot, the director of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, told the BBC this morning he would be happy for the two-metre rule to be cut.
“It created a false sense of security. It’s not suddenly beyond two metres there is no risk,” he said.
“I would rather be at one metre of someone who is infected but if both of us wear a mask, than at two metres without a mask.”
Piot, a world leading epidemiologist who co-discovered Ebola and helped in the research into Aids, said countries that had been “pretty successful” in dealing with coronavirus had a one-metre rule.
“I am pretty relaxed as long as it is associated with mandatory masks, or face coverings, not only in public transport but also in other public places,” he added.
But other scientists who advise the government have been much more cautious.
Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific adviser, told MPs the risk at one metre was “about 10 to 30 times higher” than the risk at two metres”.
Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said Labour would support the end of the two-metre rule if other safety measures, such as face coverings, are put in place.
In his interview, Hancock also said he was “incredibly sorry” after video footage captured him breaching the social-distancing guidelines by patting another MP on the back in the Commons chamber.
“I know these rules inside out and I haven’t seen my colleague for weeks and I really like him,” he said.
It’s because I’m human, we’re all human and I’m not less determined to follow the rules because of a momentary breach.”