UK PM Boris Johnson entrusted more power with local authorities including closing specific premises, shutting outdoor spaces and cancelling events to help local authorities tackle coronavirus outbreaks.
And while he acknowledged that the measures would be ‘hard going’ for those affected, he also announced that from August 1 employees could decide whether or not their staff should continue working from home or not.
Johnson also announced an extra £3 billion to the NHS to help prepare for a possible second wave of coronavirus.
He also lifted some other measures: Beauty salons will be allowed to reopen from August 1 and indoor live performances can also resume, while wedding receptions for up to 30 people will also be permitted from that date. Nightclubs, however, would remain closed. Johnson further said that schools and colleges could reopen in time for the beginning of the academic year on September 1.
London mayor Sadiq Khan, in the meantime, warned against overcrowding of underground trains when people start going back to work. Khan was quoted in a BBC report as saying, "But we’ve also got to make sure that places of work have the adaptations to make sure they’re safe—sanitisers being available, social distancing measures being in place, there being proper signage.”
