U.K. expected to review distancing rule for further easing of lockdown

The U.K. is reviewing its two-metre social distancing rule ahead of further relaxation of lockdown restrictions from July 4, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Sunday.

The country is expected to allow bars, restaurants and hairdressers to reopen as part of its plan to reopen the economy.

"We'll work closely with the scientists at all times and make the right decision on the basis of safety, health and stopping the disease," Reuters quotes Johnson.

The U.K. is one of the world's worst affected countries by the COVID-19 pandemic, having reported 295,828 cases and 41,747 deaths, according to data from the U.S. based Johns Hopkins University.

The country's death toll is the fifth highest in the world, while the infection number is the third highest.

Johnson said the easing of lockdown restrictions has been made possible by the improvements in the fight against the disease.

"You start to build some more margin for manoeuvre," he said. "So we'll be keeping it under review for July 4th."

The Prime Minister noted that the chances of catching the disease from an encounter of less than two metres had diminished due to the fact that currently, COVID-19 in the population has fallen to 1 in 1,600 or lower.

Lowering the distance people have to maintain from one another could provide an immediate benefit for badly-hit English pubs, with Finance Minister Rishi Sunak saying three quarters could reopen, rather than about one third with a two-metre rule.

(CGTN)