Stressing that the public would now be following guidance rather than legislation, he added: “The fewer social contacts you have, the safer you will be. The more we open up, the more vigilant we will need to be.”
Channelling his hero, Winston Churchill, he said: “That is why we will continue to trust in the common sense and the community spirit of the British people to follow this guidance, to carry us through and see us to victory over this virus.”
Looking dapper in a (new?) blue suit and powder blue tie, and appearing less breathless and more energised than he has in weeks, the PM stressed that Covid-19 remained an unwanted presence while rebuilding our economy and reopening society.
Although infections were down 70 per cent since the beginning of May, and there was currently no risk of a second peak, he said “caution will remain our watchword”, stressing that each step was “conditional and reversible”.
People should stick to two metres when they can, and only resort to “one-metre plus” when mitigating the risk by wearing a face covering.
Meanwhile, the public were being urged to do their “patriotic best for Britain”, with tourists urged to “show some guts”.
Ultimately, there was no mistaking the paradox at the heart of Government advice urging people to get back to normal in a world that strikes most as anything but.