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Boris Johnson to launch advertising blitz urging ‘one more heave’ of lockdown when he reveals roadmap
BORIS Johnson’s restrictions-lifting roadmap will be accompanied by an ad blitz urging “one more heave” of lockdown.
The Government is currently spending millions on a Covid public awareness campaign designed to shock people into staying at home.
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But ahead of the first restrictions easing on March 8, a new softer message will be deployed as more freedoms are restored.
A source said: “As we wait for the vaccine rollout to reach everyone, it’s essential that the rules are not ignored at the final stretch.
"The adverts will urge one more heave to get the country over the line.”
Mr Johnson vowed to be driven by data not dates in his “cautious and prudent” lifting of Covid restrictions, starting on March 8 with reopening schools.
He has repeatedly stressed that restrictions will be eased cautiously - and urged Brits to show patience in the months ahead.
'CAUTIOUS AND PRUDENT'
The PM insisted he doesn't want to have to go back into lockdown again, and he hopes this one would be the last.
Schools are set to be the first things to reopen from March 8 onwards - pending any dramatic shift in infections or hospitalisations.
However, it's not yet clear whether it will be all pupils or they will stagger them.
Rules on meeting people outside are also likely to be relaxed in time for the Spring.
Non essential-shops could are likely to open after schools and The Sun exclusively revealed how pubs and restaurants will be able to serve outdoors in April if coronavirus cases continue to fall.
Staycations are likely to be allowed and Brits could take self-catered staycation breaks by Easter - if the reproductive rate of the virus stays low.
LOCKDOWN ROADMAP
There is no indication that social distancing will be scrapped in the coming months and it appears that lockdown will be lifted in stages.
The PM was due to tell fellow world leaders today that we face the “tantalising prospect of a return to normality”, but the mistakes of the Covid pandemic must never be allowed to happen again.
He will use this year’s presidency of the G7 — the annual gathering of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and US — to begin work on an international pandemic early warning system to stop any future virus from crippling the planet.
At his first virtual meeting in charge, the PM will say: “The development of viable coronavirus vaccines offers the tantalising prospect of a return to normality, but we must not rest on our laurels.
“As leaders of the G7 we must say today: never again.”
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He will urge the group to back an ambitious target of supporting the development of vaccines for emerging diseases in 100 days in future, a third of the time it took to successfully develop the Pfizer-BioNTech jab.
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And he wants funding to increase for Covax — the vaccine drive for poor countries.
Last night, he pledged to donate “the majority of surplus coronavirus vaccines” to poorer nations.
The Sun says
COVID cases are back down to where they were before the second wave of the pandemic and still falling.
We are tantalisingly close to a return to normality, the Prime Minister will tell G7 colleagues today.
For that, he will say, the world can thank scientists who have risen to the most extraordinary of challenges and performed brilliantly.
Meanwhile, he will tell the rest of us enduring lockdown: “Let’s keep going.”
That’s all well and good but, as Boris plans his Roadmap to Recovery, he should be mindful not to waste the incredible opportunity the scientists have given us.
That means aiming for the earliest possible exit from the freedom-denying, economy-crippling restrictions we are all suffering.
We’ll keep going Prime Minister, but you need to show us the finishing line.
UK Covid deaths fall 33% in a week with 454 fatalities and 12,057 cases in 24 hours as Boris Johnson finalises roadmap
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