Reuniting families and reopening schools at forefront of Boris Johnson's unlocking plan

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will today unveil a 60-page document and explain his plan to MPs, before addressing the nation at a briefing from Downing Street in the evening.

But despite calls in recent week from within his own party to accelerate the lifting of lockdown measures due to the success of the vaccination roll out, Mr Johnson struck a cautious tone which was echoed by his Ministers over the weekend.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said yesterday: “It is right to be cautious – it is incredibly important. There are still almost 20,000 people in hospital with Covid right now. The vaccination programme, whilst clearly going very well, will take time to be able to reach all people who have significant vulnerability, especially because we need to get the second jab to everybody.

“So, we’ve got time that needs to be taken to get this right.

“The Prime Minister will set out the road map tomorrow and he will set out the full details – taking into account that we need to take a cautious but irreversible approach, that’s the goal.”

While Mr Johnson said: “Our decisions will be made on the latest data at every step, and we will be cautious about this approach so that we do not undo the progress we have achieved so far and the sacrifices each and every one of you has made to keep yourself and others safe.”

The PM’s road map will contain four tests for easing the measures, with Ministers assessing the success of the vaccine rollout, evidence of vaccine efficacy, new variants and infection rates before proceeding to the next step.

The tests are currently being met, the Government said, allowing the first relaxation to take place on March 8 – when schools are widely expected to return.

Mr Johnson said: “Our priority has always been getting children back into school which we know is crucial for their education as well as their mental and physical wellbeing, and we will also be prioritising ways for people to reunite with loved ones safely.”

South Yorkshire metro mayor and Labour MP for Barnsley Central, Dan Jarvis, warned that the PM needed to release restrictions in the right way.

He said: “Past mistakes tell us we should not hastily abandon the restrictions and sacrifices that have saved lives and protected the NHS. They also show that without health and economic support working hand in glove, we’ll not only struggle get to the virus under control, but leave workers and businesses feeling abandoned.”

Restrictions will be eased step-by-step across the whole of England at the same time, Downing Street said, due to the current uniform spread of the virus.

A further 215 deaths were recorded across the UK yesterday in people who had tested positive for coronavirus within 28 days, bringing the nationals total of deaths from the virus to 120,580.

A third (33.4 per cent) of the UK adult population has now been given the first dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, latest figures show.

Labour has called for the Prime Minister to extend the £500 available to those without sick pay who need to isolate as part of his unlocking plan.

The party said without more isolation support, further economic damage was risked after national restrictions end.

Shadow Chancellor Anneliese Dodds said: “The Government’s roadmap to recovery must improve the system of self-isolation in this country.”