All five of the Government’s tests have now been met, meaning the UK will move to the next stage of lifting lockdown, Boris Johnson has said.
Announcing the changes, which will come into force from Monday, June 1, Mr Johnson said: “All five tests are being met. That’s not my achievement, or the Government’s achievement, it is your achievement.
“It’s only possible thanks to your resolve and dedication to our national purpose, to overcome this virus.”
The five tests set out by the Government needed to be met before the UK could move on to the second phase of relaxing lockdown, these included suppressing the disease and keeping the reproduction rate, the R rate, down.
The tests and how they have each been met, are set out below:
Making sure NHS can cope
The Prime Minister has announced the country is now meeting the first test of protecting the NHS’s ability to cope during the pandemic.
Mr Johnson said: “We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK.”
He added thanks to the “heroic efforts” of the NHS workers and British people, the data is showing that this test has now been achieved.
On May 26, 475 people were admitted to hospital with Covid-19, down from a peak of 3,121 on April 2.
“This significant progress means we are meeting the first test,” he said during the daily Downing Street briefing on Thursday.