All the key dates for when lockdown will lift again after April 12

The next stage of the lockdown roadmap is going ahead on Monday in England, Boris Johnson confirmed.

Step two of the lifting of strict coronavirus rules will proceed on April 12 after the Government analysed the statistics around the virus and decided it is safe enough.

‘I want to thank you all again for your patience because it is really clear now that this is paying off and it’s your collective efforts, our collective efforts that have given us the crucial time and space to vaccinate more than 31 million people,’ Mr Johnson told a Downing Street press conference yesterday.

‘And that result of your efforts and of course with the vaccine rollout, is that I can today confirm that from Monday, April 12 we will move to step two of our roadmap.

‘Reopening shops, gyms, zoos, holidays campsites, personal care services like hairdressers and of course beer gardens and outdoor hospitality of all kinds.

‘I will be going to the pub myself and cautiously but irreversibly raising a pint of beer to my lips.’

It comes after the first stage of lockdown easing in recent weeks has seen children going back to school, the rule of six reinstated outside and outdoor sports resuming.

But when are the next steps of lockdown lifting, and what will they involve?

Step two – April 12

Although all the dates in Mr Johnson’s roadmap are generally guidelines – or ‘no earlier than’ times – the PM has officially confirmed this stage is going ahead.

All non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen their doors to customers, regardless of what they sell.

Gyms and indoor swimming pools can open again and personal beauty services, like hairdressing, can resume.

Zoos, theme parks and drive-in cinemas will reopen, as will public libraries and community centres. Holiday campsites can also open as long as they are used by household groups or individuals only.

Pubs and restaurants will also be allowed to serve customers outdoors in beer gardens and on patios.

People in care homes can also have two visitors instead of one from that date, and weddings of up to 15 people will be permitted, when it was previously only six.

Step three – May 17

England is now almost a month away from the next stage of the lockdown roadmap – although it has not been confirmed whether this date is definitely going ahead.

It is a planned timeline provided infection rates are low enough and the vaccination rollout continues to be successful.

If Mr Johnson gives stage three the green light, that will finally allow mixing indoors again.

People will be allowed to meet inside in groups of no larger than six, and even stay the night.

Indoor hospitality venues including pubs, bars and restaurants will be permitted to reopen, but again for groups of six people maximum.

There will be no requirement to order a ‘substantial meal’ with alcohol and no curfew, but the table service rule will remain.

The limit on outdoor gatherings is expected to increase from six to 30, and up to 30 people will be permitted at weddings – with receptions allowed to resume.

Indoor exercise classes will be allowed to restart and museums, cinemas and children’s play areas inside can open their doors.

Some controlled larger indoor and outdoor events will be permitted, but more details are expected after a review has been carried out and a number of pilot schemes have run, for example at the FA Cup final on May 15.

The Government has previously said holidays abroad could be permitted by May 17, but Mr Johnson has warned it is still ‘too early’ to tell and has told people not to book any foreign trips yet.

Step 4 – June 21

This is expected to be England’s final step of lockdown lifting – but is of course dependent on whether infections remain low after the third easing stage.

If all goes well, step four is expected to see all legal limits on mixing removed and the reopening of everything else which remains closed.

Weddings could take place at full capacity and nightclubs could reopen.

Live events, theatre performances and sports could be allowed with large numbers of people in the audience.

Coronavirus vaccine passports could be introduced at this point to help control potential outbreaks of infections, but the Government is currently piloting this.

It is hoped the country will reach near-normality by July, when every adult is predicted to have been offered their first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine.

A review is currently underway to assess how long ‘baseline measures’, such as the wearing of masks and social distancing, has to remain for.

But there are concerns the stages of lockdown easing could be delayed if a third wave of Covid-19 hits the UK – as it has other countries in Europe – in the coming months.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

For more stories like this, check our news page.