MILAN – The UK government could begin planning its exit from the coronavirus lockdown within 10 days, and coffee shops and restaurants could reopen first. Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who is deputising for PM Boris Johnson as he continues his virus recovery, is expected to extend the lockdown for at least a further three weeks today.
Ministers have reportedly been advised to re-open high streets on a limited scale to allow Britain to “learn to live with Covid” as it waits for a vaccine.
Restaurants and coffee shops are among the businesses that could be back up and running the quickest – though all premises will need revamping to abide social distancing measures.
The new thinking is laid out in a report – authored by Tory peer Lord Gadhia and GlaxoSmithKline chairman Sir Jonathan Symonds.
Calling for a limited reopening of high streets, the pair say Britain must “learn to live with Covid” as it can’t be fully defeated until a vaccine is mass produced in 12 to 18 months time.
“The initial focus for reopening the economy should be on sectors that have the greatest multiplier effects with minimum risks – such as coffee shops and restaurants, which support agriculture” says the report.
“The property market is another that has wide multiplier effects”.
“We need to avoid a stop-start economy which would sap public morale and damage business confidence yet further,” it was also said in the report.
