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CORONAVIRUS

We’re moving to second phase of virus battle, says Boris Johnson

Lockdown changes ‘in days’ but schools to stay closed until June

Schools are set to remain shut next month as Boris Johnson prepares to lay out a limited set of changes to the lockdown within days.

The prime minister said that he would detail the preparations for a “second phase” of the battle against coronavirus, promising “maximum transparency” on his first day back in Downing Street yesterday.

Measures identified for the first steps include helping workplaces to reduce the spread of the virus by enforcing social distancing and ensuring that staff can wash their hands regularly. Shops selling “non-essential” items would be allowed to reopen if they could keep customers two metres apart. People could also be allowed to mix with a wider group of friends and family under an expanded definition of a household that