British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered a review of the government”s two-meter (6.5-feet) social distancing rule, saying the falling number of coronavirus cases gives the government “more margin for manoeuvre” in easing the guideline.
Johnson said that “probably” fewer than one in 1,000 people now have the virus, and the chance of coming in contact with someone who”s infected are increasingly remote.
Treasury chief Rishi Sunak said that officials will be drawing on advice on the issue from economists as well as the government”s scientific and medical advisers.
Conservative lawmakers and businesses have been putting increasing pressure on the government to ease the two-metre rule, arguing that it will make it extremely difficult for many pubs and restaurants to operate.
They say that the government in the U.K. can follow other countries and ask people to socially distance at one meter or 1.5 meters.
