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U.K. Government’s 2-Meter Distancing Could Be Dropped in Days

U.K. Government’s 2-Meter Distancing Could Be Dropped in Days

(Bloomberg) --

The U.K. government is poised to halve its 2-meter (6 feet 7 inches) social distancing rule “within days,” according to the Telegraph newspaper.

Downing Street is said to be preparing an announcement after the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies published a paper on Friday setting out measures that would make it safe for people to be within a meter of each other, the newspaper reported.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is under pressure from schools and the hospitality industry to relax social distancing rules. The U.K. is now an outlier in Europe, as other nations and the World Health Organization have deemed one meter as sufficient to protect against the spread of the virus. The Sage advice may give Johnson the scientific evidence he needs to back up a decision to relax restrictions.

Boris Johnson said the government is “working with the scientists” on when the 2-meter rule can be cut, the Telegraph reported. “What we’re looking for is the moment when we’ve got the numbers... down so far that we can really say that the 2-meter rule is no longer necessary,” he said.

Tension is building after Johnson was forced to relent on his plan for schools, delaying the reopening of all classes until September because the education service isn’t ready. Teachers said the government’s plans were unworkable and it would be impossible to return to full school rolls while keeping children 2 meters apart.

Pubs and restaurants are working toward July 4 for the limited reopening of outdoor areas but say many won’t be viable if customers still have to stay 2 meters apart. The U.K. economy shrank a record 20.4% in April and the OECD has warned the U.K. economy could shrink 11.5% this year, that’s almost twice as much as what’s expected for the global economy, and the 9.1% seen for the euro area.

The government has been polling businesses to find out if they would object to social distancing measures being reduced, the Telegraph reported, citing official sources.

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