Despite fears over the development of a more transmissible strain of the disease, much of the UK takes a big step toward normalcy on Monday as coronavirus restrictions are relaxed.
Indoor hospitality returns to pubs, restaurants, and cafés across England, Wales, and most of Scotland, and theatres, museums, and sports venues will reopen for the first time in months.
Northern Ireland, on the other hand, will not get any relief until May 24.
People and families will also be able to meet with some restrictions inside private houses and international travel will resume to selected nations including Portugal.
“Together we have reached another milestone in our roadmap out of lockdown, but we must take this next step with a heavy dose of caution,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday.
“We are keeping the spread of the variant first identified in India under close observation and taking swift action where infection rates are rising,” he added.
While leaving Monday’s easing in place, Johnson last week warned the complete lifting of Covid-19 measures on June 21 could be put in jeopardy by a more transmissible variant that was first detected in India.
