UK's 1 October restart date to be reviewed

The UK’s hoped-for event restart date of 1 October is to be reviewed, prime minster Boris Johnson announced at a Downing Street press conference, 9 September. The prime minister outlined plans to restore life to as “normal as possible”, which included testing on a mass scale and would see those testing negative allowed more flexibility. “We must revise plans to pilot larger audiences in venues later this month and review our intention to return audiences to stadiums and conference [and exhibition] centres from 1 October,” said the prime minister. “That does not mean we are going to scrap the programme entirely, we just have to review it”. The PM said the government’s plan was based on mass testing – up to 500,000 a day – and those testing negative would be allowed to behave in a more normal way. The prime minister went on to outline more details about the plan of mass-testing of large audiences, which he revealed would take place in October in both indoor and outdoor settings. “Theatres and sports venues could test an audience and let in anyone with a negative result. The same would apply to workplaces,” the prime minister said. “We are going to pilot this approach in Salford from next month with audiences in indoor and outdoor venues and then we hope to go nationwide.” The prime minister also introduced the ‘Rule of Six’, in which people in England may no longer gather socially in groups of more than six in each other’s’ homes or in pubs. Weddings, funerals, planned sporting events and workplaces are not affected by any of the changes announced and may continue with current guidance. There was no firm confirmation that business events for up to 30 may continue to take place. It was confirmed that venues may hold more than six people overall, so long as individual groups within said venue did not exceed six. For example, a room can hold multiple groups of six so long as they follow the Government’s approved guidance. Anyone breaking the rules risks being fined. Venues failing to comply will be fined, and it will now be a legal requirement to collect data for track and trace purposes. Picture by Pippa Fowles / No 10 Downing Street