'Can I see my family?': Everything you need to know as Dominic Raab issues update on television

Dominic Raab said that, under the new lockdown rules, people can meet different family members separately on the same day while maintaining social distancing.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

He told BBC Breakfast: "If you're out in the park and you're two metres apart, we're saying now, and use some common sense and you socially distance, you can meet up with other people.

"The key thing is people want to get outdoors, particularly with this weather, particularly I think for mental health and, frankly, the frustration people feel if they're cooped up for too long for protracted periods.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"We want to make sure that that people can enjoy the outdoors more ... but people must stay alert, because the more we do some of the things that we want to do, the more we need to just be careful about this social distancing."

CoronavirusCoronavirus
Coronavirus

Asked if someone could meet their mother in the morning and their father in the afternoon, he said: "Outside in the outdoors, staying two metres apart, yes."

Dominic Raab told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "What the Prime Minister has done is set out a road map for the next phase.

"Starting this Wednesday, the new measures, the first step measures, will begin."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Asked if the Government's new "stay alert" slogan meant stay at home as much as possible, Mr Raab told Today: "Yes, but, for example ... if you can work from home you should continue to do so.

"But, there are vital sectors of the economy, like manufacturing and construction where people can't do their job from home."

Dominic Raab said on BBC Breakfast there will be a "phased" approach to reopening primary schools, starting with Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 pupils.

"We will make sure that we would have clear guidance about how that can be done with social distancing, with hygiene," he said.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

"The evidence suggests that there's very little, there's much lower risk for young children getting this virus.

"The risk is that you get transmission through children between households... so what we want to do is make sure, and we'll obviously have more evidence by the time we get to June 1, which will be at the earliest, subject to conditions, the point at which we start in a very phased controlled way proceeding.

"So we'll be providing that guidance and we'll be able to monitor very carefully what happens to the virus between now and then."

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. These are challenging times but the team at the Yorkshire Evening Post need your support more than ever in the weeks ahead.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you. In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you - wherever possible and providing it is safe for you to do so - to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Inevitably falling advertising revenues will start to have an impact on local newspapers and the way we continue to work during this period of uncertainty. So the support of our readers has never been more important as we try to make sure that we keep you connected with the city you live in during this time. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. We need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

Our team of trusted reporters are working incredibly hard behind the scenes - from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms - to look at how we can do this and your continued support to the YEP will help to protect its viability in the days and weeks ahead.

For more details on our subscription offers please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP, email [email protected] or call us on 0330 4033004

Thank you

Laura Collins

Editor