PRIME minister Boris Johnson is expected to lead a Downing Street press conference on Monday evening.
The press conference is reportedly going to be at 7pm as he outlines his 'road map' on how England's lockdown restrictions will ease.
After spending the past week looking at data on coronavirus deaths, cases, hospital admissions and the effect of the vaccine rollout, Boris Johnson will convene a virtual meeting of his Cabinet this morning to discuss the road map plan.
Later in the afternoon the Prime Minister will make a statement to Parliament before hosting the televised press conference.
The road map will also be published on the Government’s website.
It is understood that the first phase of the road map will set out that, from March 8, people will be permitted to have socially distanced one-on-one meetups with others outdoors in a public space.
This means friends and family members could sit down for a coffee or have a picnic in the park, something not currently allowed under lockdown.
The Prime Minister said his road map will contain four tests for easing restrictions.
The Government will take into account the success of the vaccines rollout, whether there is evidence they are reducing hospital admissions and deaths, the level of infection rates and the presence of any new Covid variants.
Such data will be examined ahead of each step along the road map before measures are unlocked any further.
Ahead of his Commons address, Mr Johnson said: “Today I’ll be setting out a road map to bring us out of lockdown cautiously.
“Our priority has always been getting children back into school which we know is crucial for their education as well as their mental and physical wellbeing, and we will also be prioritising ways for people to reunite with loved ones safely.
“Our decisions will be made on the latest data at every step, and we will be cautious about this approach so that we do not undo the progress we have achieved so far and the sacrifices each and every one of you has made to keep yourself and others safe.
“We have therefore set four key tests which must be met before we can move through each step of the plan.”
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