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Non-Essential Shops, Hairdressers And Gyms Could Remain Closed Until April

Non-Essential Shops, Hairdressers And Gyms Could Remain Closed Until April

Schools are expected to be the first thing to reopen

Dominic Smithers

Dominic Smithers

Non-essential shops, hairdressers, and gyms could remain closed until at least April, the Daily Mail reports.

A government source has suggested that businesses could be forced to keep their doors shut for several months yet as the vaccine rollout is ramped up across the UK.

Speaking to the Mail, the source said Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his government were more concerned with reopening schools before anything else.

They told the publication: "Schools will be first and everything else will have to take its place after that.

"The only exception might be exercise. The PM keeps coming back to social contact - is there anything we could do to help a bit?

"Could we do a bit more on exercise to help with people's mental health? That is being looked at."

LADbible has contacted Number 10 for a comment.

Shops, gyms, and hairdressers could open in April, it has been claimed.
PA

It comes after another source told the Times earlier this month that pubs would probably not reopen until at least May.

They said: "The May Day bank holiday is more likely the moment you see pubs reopening."

Despite the huge amount of damage being caused to the economy by lockdowns, Professor Devi Sridhar, chair of public health at Edinburgh University, told Times Radio they were necessary given how quickly the disease spreads through society.

But she said that a plan was desperately needed for a time beyond lockdown.

She said: "With the numbers we're at, there's no other choice.

"For me, it's a three-phase strategy - first is right now, it's crude, it's catastrophic for the economy and for people's mental health, but a lockdown.

"Get those numbers down, protect the NHS for the next 12 weeks.

"When we get into March and hopefully numbers are low again and we get into seasonal change, get your testing and tracing and your border measures in place to really suppress.

"And then in the summer, instead of taking your foot off the gas and saying 'let's open up everything', actually think 'how do we prevent this winter from happening again?"

The government is expected to reopen schools before anything else.
PA

Earlier this week, a gym was raided by police for the 11th time after refusing to close during lockdown, with video footage showing officers speaking to the repeat offender.

Steven Todd, owner of Reps Gym in Preston, Lancashire, was visited by officers at around 12.30pm on Friday 29 January.

While gyms have been forced to remain closed in England throughout lockdowns - and in many tiered areas - Todd has been vocal in his opposition to the restrictions, claiming his establishment has become a 'sanctuary' for people struggling with isolation during the pandemic.

Four officers entered his gym yesterday to speak to Todd about his non-compliance with coronavirus restrictions.

Having now been visited on 11 occasions, Todd has been issued with thousands of pounds' worth of fines since lockdown began.

When asked why he was still open despite repeated orders to close, he said: "We've been through this before lads. I am happy for you to keep visiting and I understand you are just doing your job.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: covid, lockdown, Coronavirus, Politics, Covid-19