CIEH welcomes UK Government’s cautious approach to lifting lockdown in England

CIEH has welcomed the UK Government’s cautious approach to lifting the lockdown measures in England, believing that it must be led by data. CIEH has stated that decisions taken to relax restrictions at each stage of the plan must only be taken if the public’s health can be assured.

On Monday the UK Government announced its four staged roadmap for lifting lockdown in England with the aim of lifting all measures by 21 June.

There will be different approaches by the devolved nations. Northern Ireland has announced that lockdown restrictions will be extended until the 1 of April with a phased return of school pupils from March, whilst the Welsh Government has extended the lockdown for another three weeks, although some pupils have started to return to schools from this week. Scotland will begin a phased reopening from the end of April, with Nicola Sturgeon stating that more detail on easing restrictions will come in mid-March.

CIEH will continue to offer practical support to members over the coming months as the roadmap unwinds, sharing vital information and experience on business guidance and enforcement in its flagship “CIEH-Conversations” webinar programme.

Julie Barratt, CIEH President, said:

“We welcome the Government’s decision to start carefully easing England out of the current lockdown and look forward to seeing a data-based approach at each stage. Decisions taken to relax restrictions at each stage of the plan must only be taken if the public’s health can be assured.

We also appreciate that there will be different approaches from the devolved governments, and we are committed to supporting our members across the UK as these plans develop.

CIEH will remain focused on practical support to our members who remain on the frontlines of this pandemic over the coming months and as the roadmap unwinds, with regular Covid webinars as well as focusing on the future of the profession as we move into the recovery phase.”