LOCKDOWN LIFT
Boris Johnson announcement: What did Prime Minister say in speech today, Monday, March 29?
BORIS JOHNSON held a press conference today as he begins easing England's coronavirus lockdown.
The addressed the nation from a brand new press room at Downing Street at 5pm.
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What did Boris Johnson say?
Boris Johnson told the country to "proceed with caution" as he urged everybody to attend their Covid vaccine appointments.
He also unveiled a new jab factory to wean Britain off foreign made vaccine supplies.
He said: "I must stress that it's only because of months of sacrifice and effort that we can take this small step towards freedom, but we must proceed with caution."
He added: "We need to continue flat out to build the immunity of our population and build our defences against that wave as it comes.
"It's more vital than ever that we protect the most vulnerable."
Speaking about the Covid vaccine, he said: "For many people, April will be the second dose month. Please take up your appointment when it's your turn."
Discussing the vaccine factory, he added: "At the same time as we push forwards with our programme to offer a vaccination to all adults by the end of July, we’re building up our own long-term UK manufacturing capabilities.
"Novavax, a potentially significant new weapon in our armoury against Covid, is going to be made at FujiFilm in the North East.
"I can today announce that the Vaccine Taskforce has reached an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline to finish and bottle this precious fluid also in the North East, giving us between 50 and 60 million doses of UK made vaccine subject to the right approvals from the MHRA."
The stay at home message has been ditched in England - but people still face a fine if they try to leave the country.
But the change now means that people will be told simply to "minimise travel".
That means people can visit family members a couple of hours drive away or visit a park in another part of the country and not be fined.
You could even go to the Lake District for a walk and not be fined from Monday, March 29.
However, people do face a £5,000 fine for trying to leave the country without a reasonable excuse.
From today, March 29, the Rule of Six is re-introduced, allowing six people - or two households - to mix outdoors.
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Two households will be able to meet outdoors for the first time in months.
Brits will also be able to take part in outdoor sports with football pitches, tennis courts and golf courses all set to reopen.
This means even small gatherings in private gardens will be permitted in a little over a month - just in time for Easter over the April 4 weekend.
But indoor facilities like gyms won't be open until at least April 12.
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Where did Boris Johnson speak from?
Downing Street has confirmed that work on its £2.9m White House-style media briefing room has been completed.
Future Government coronavirus press briefings will take place in the £2.6 million room in Number 9 Downing Street.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters: "Work on the briefing room in No 9 Downing Street is now complete, so going forward all future coronavirus press conferences will take place over in No 9.
"They will begin on Monday when the Prime Minister does a press conference in there."
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Boris Johnson's press secretary Allegra Stratton said the Government still planned to go ahead with daily televised briefings.
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She said: "Yes, we are but we just don't know yet when. It is all about hitting milestones in the road map."
The revamped briefing room is modelled on Washington’s West Wing.
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