COVID-19: Boris Johnson Offers MASSIVE Update About U.K. Lockdown
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to deliver his first nation's address on May 10 to detail a "menu of options" regarding the United Kingdom's next step on COVID-19 lockdown restrictions.
This will be his first time to speak to the nation after his successful battle against the dreaded virus.
Moreover, the 55-year-old leader is expected to unveil a roadmap on his plan to "unlock the various parts of the UK economy."
Lifting Of Lockdown Restrictions
The government is looking into possible areas for change, which include loosening the lockdown restrictions to restart the economy and allow people to travel and give them the "confidence that they can go back to work".
"I have absolutely no doubt that what the people of this country want us to do now is ... to suppress this disease, to keep suppressing this disease, and to begin the work of getting our country's economy back on its feet," PM Johnson stated.
Although he insisted on making these changes despite the ongoing health crisis, the Prime Minister pointed out that he could only "unlock the economy gradually" as he cannot disregard the nation's "effort and sacrifice" to alleviate the pandemic.
"We have come through the peak, or rather we've come under what could have been a vast peak as though we've been going through some huge alpine tunnel and we can now see the sunlight and pasture ahead of us," he added.
"And so it is vital that we do not now lose control and run slap into a second and even bigger mountain."
United Kingdom's Current State Amid COVID-19
Unfortunately, the U.K. has the highest number of coronavirus fatalities in Europe, surpassing Italy and Spain -- which were previously recognized as the worst-affected countries.
Currently, U.K.'s confirmed cases have peaked at over 201,000 while the death toll has reached 30,000.
U.K Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab even described the number of coronavirus deaths as "a massive tragedy."
Downing Street Determined To "Recover"
Furthermore, Housing Minister Robert Jenrick backed up the Prime Minister and expressed the government's determination to help the local economy "adapt, evolve, recover, and grow."
Jenrick added that this crisis will not hinder the government's "mission to level up" and "unite and unleash the potential of this country."
Aside from partially reopening the U.K., Johnson brought to light his "ambition" to double COVID-19 testing by the end of the month "and then to go even higher."
This means health workers have to run 200,000 tests a day from the previous target of 100,000.
The Prime Minister also pointed out that this "fantastic testing regime" will play a vital role to help the nation's economy to bounce back from the pandemic.
However, the opposition has accused the ministers of staging a political stunt by setting impossible targets without determining if the home testing kits are successful.
Shadow Health Minister Justin Madders called this as "nonsensical" and "headline-grabbing" as he stressed out that the country "deserves better" than Johnson's political tactic.
