Government extends lockdown until March as death toll reaches 100,000

The government has announced that current lockdown restrictions are set to last until at least the second week of March.

In a statement to parliament today, the prime minister said that he is aiming to have a plan ready by the end of February to start easing lockdown restrictions in March.

He said that any easing of restrictions would start with schools reopening, which he hopes to take place on 8 March. This would then be followed by the lifting of other restrictions.

The government’s plan had originally been to phase out restrictions at February half-term, but the date has been pushed back as a result of rising cases and deaths.

Boris Johnson said: “Our aim will be to set out a gradual and phased approach to easing the restrictions in a sustainable way.

“We hope it will be safe to begin the reopening of schools from 8 March with other economic and social restrictions being removed thereafter as the data permits.”

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