Boris Johnson announcement: what PM said during lockdown roadmap speech - and his four-step reopening plan explained

Boris Johnson announced his much-anticipated roadmap out of lockdown announcement today (Monday 22 February).

The Prime Minister told MPs how restrictions in England, in place since 5 January, will be gradually relaxed.

He gave dates for the reopening of shops, hairdressers, gyms and outdoor hospitality.

Here’s everything Mr Johnson announced – and the dates restrictions could be eased.

When was Boris Johnson’s announcement?

The Prime Minister made a statement in the House of Commons at 3:30pm.

Announcing the full details of his roadmap out of lockdown, Mr Johnson gave dates for the relaxation of some restrictions.

He will address the nation at 7pm during a Downing Street press conference, where he will further outline his roadmap and take questions.

MPs will then vote on the regulations in the coming weeks.

What did the Prime Minister say?

A four-step roadmap has been drawn up, outlining the consecutive stages to relative normality.

It includes the initial relaxation of measures as well as the restrictions that could be eased in the coming months.

Covid-19 measures will also be relaxed step-by-step across the whole of England, instead of a return to the regional tiered system.

However, whether the four steps happen is dependent on strict conditions on vaccines, infection rates and new coronavirus variants.

Boris Johnson said the roadmap aimed to be "cautious but irreversible" and at every stage decisions would rely on data instead of dates.

The four steps are:

Step one

The first step will happen from 8 and 29 March.

Schools in England will reopen for all pupils on 8 March.

Outdoor after-school sports clubs and activities will also be allowed to restart.

People will be able to socialise outside with one friend or relative from another household from 8 March.

This means friends will be able to meet up and sit together in a park for a coffee, drink or picnic.

Current restrictions limit meet-ups to exercise only.

Then, larger groups of six people or two households will be able to meet outside, including in private gardens, from 29 March.

Tennis courts, golf courses and other outdoor sport facilities will reopen from 29 March.

Also on this date, organised sport for adults and children, like grassroots football, will be able to restart.

Step two

The second step, focusing on the opening of non-essential retail and outdoor hospitality, will be implemented from 12 April.

Shops will open on 12 April if strict conditions are met.

Hairdressers will also open on this date, as well as public buildings like libraries and museums.

Up to six people from separate households could be able to meet in beer gardens from 12 April.

That also includes the opening of alcohol takeaways.

Zoos and theme parks could open on this date, as well as indoor leisure facilities like swimming pools and gyms.

Self-contained holiday accommodation, like self-catering lets and camp sites, could also open from 12 April.

Step three

From 17 May, the third step will go ahead if the data allows.

This will see the “rule of six” abolished for outdoor gatherings and replaced with a limit of 30 people.

Two households would be able to mix indoors, with the rule of six in pubs and restaurants.

Cinemas, hotels, performances and sporting events could reopen with social distancing.

Up to 10,000 spectators could attend the very largest outdoor seated venues such as football stadiums.

Up to 30 people could attend weddings, receptions, funerals and wakes

Step four

The fourth step could happen from 21 June.

This would potentially see all legal limits on social contact removed.

The final closed sectors of the economy could also reopen – like nightclubs.

From this date, restrictions on weddings and funerals could also be scrapped.

What are the four tests?

The four new tests which the government will use to decide whether the country can progress to each stage are:

- The vaccinations programme continues successfully

- Data shows that the jabs are effective in reducing hospital numbers and deaths in those inoculated

- Infection rates do not risk a rapid increase in hospitalisations, which would result in pressure on the NHS

- The government’s assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of the virus which cause concern.

The government has said the tests are currently being met so the first stage of the roadmap will go ahead on 8 March.