UK to finalize plan on loosening 2-meter coronavirus social distancing rule

A shopper enters Selfridges department store in Oxford Street as it reopens in London, Britain on June 15, 2020. (Photo by Ray Tang/Xinhua)

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Sunday that the progress made in the fight against coronavirus over the past three months meant "it will be possible to open up more."

LONDON, June 22 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson are meeting with his top team on Monday afternoon to finalize plan to loosen the 2-meter coronavirus social distancing rule in a bid to reopen pubs, restaurants, hairdressers and hotels in England next month.

Johnson and his Cabinet ministers are discussing loosening the social distancing rule while thrashing out the next steps out of lockdown with the government's Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance and England's Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty, before outlining the new measures to the parliament on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the prime minister said the progress made in the fight against coronavirus over the past three months meant "it will be possible to open up more."

People queue outside a Primark store in central Manchester, Britain, June 15, 2020. (Photo by Jon Super/Xinhua)

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said over the weekend that England is "clearly on track" to further ease lockdown restrictions.

The new development came as the number of people in Britain who have died with COVID-19 has risen by 15 to 42,647 as of Sunday afternoon, the lowest daily increase since mid-March.