The restrictions imposed on the fight against the coronavirus COVID-19 are being eased in the United Kingdom on Monday. Restrictions are being lifted depending upon the region in the UK. In two counties of Scotland, no restrictions will be lifted due to the surge in the incidence of coronavirus.
In England, pubs, bars and restaurants will be able to serve visitors inside, museums, cinemas, children’s playgrounds, theaters, concert halls and stadiums will open. People will be able to gather indoors in groups of up to six people or in two households.
In Scotland, excluding Glasgow and Morey counties, pubs and restaurants will be able to serve alcoholic drinks indoors until 10:30 pm. Entertainment venues such as cinemas and theaters may open if no more than 100 people are allowed inside. People will be able to gather indoors in groups of up to six people from a maximum of three households, outside – up to eight people from eight households.
Pubs and restaurants in Wales will be able to serve customers indoors, and it will be possible to gather there in groups of no more than six people. Cinemas, bowling alleys, museums, galleries and theaters are opening. The rules for in-person meetings in the premises will not change: a maximum of two households are still allowed to gather under one roof.
In addition, residents of England, Scotland and Wales will be able to go on vacation abroad. So far, there are 12 countries on the list of allowed countries, including Portugal, Israel, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Brunei, Iceland, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Faroe Islands, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands, St Helena, Tristan de Cunha and Ascension Island.
Northern Ireland will be revising the restrictions on May 20. If any measures are canceled, the changes will take effect on May 24.
The lifting of restrictions comes amid the continuing spread of a more contagious Indian strain of coronavirus in the UK. Earlier, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that this variant of the coronavirus could prevent the gradual cancellation of the lockdown.
At the end of March, a new variant of the double mutation coronavirus , also known as B.1.617, was discovered in India. This variant is more contagious than the “regular” SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, first identified in China’s Wuhan province in early 2020. Prior to this, it became known about the “British” and “Brazilian” variants of the coronavirus, which also differed in increased infectivity compared to the “Wuhan” coronavirus.