in-cyprus 18 May 2021 - by Annie Charalambous
British officials are considering contingency plans for local lockdowns or a delay to reopening after June 21 in response to concern about the spread of the coronavirus variant first detected in India.
This is what the Times newspaper reported on Monday, adding that officials have drawn up plans modelled on the Tier 4 restrictions introduced last year.
People would be advised to stay at home and non-essential shops and hospitality would be closed if the variant was not brought under control, it added.
At the same time, London cannot yet make a judgment on whether to go ahead with a further easing of lockdown restrictions in England on June 21.
And it wants to see as much data as possible before deciding, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman has said.
“We’re not at the point where we can make a definitive judgment,” the spokesman told reporters. “We want to keep a close eye on the data, we want to get as much data in as possible before considering the next steps.”
(Reuters)
