Covid-19: Road Map

Part of the debate – in the House of Commons at 3:51 pm on 22 February 2021.

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Photo of Boris Johnson Boris Johnson Leader of the Conservative Party, The Prime Minister 3:51, 22 February 2021

We need to see the data and the effect of each successive relaxation. As I explained to the House, we need four weeks to assess whether the relaxation has caused a surge in the virus, because that is the time it takes—so, from the opening of schools until 12 April. We will need to assess that, and then we will need a further week to give people due notice, and the same onwards through 17 May to 21 June and so on. The reason for that cautious but irreversible approach is that I think people would rather have certainty than urgency. We are going as fast as we reasonably and responsibly can, but if there is a trade-off between haste and certainty, I think people would prefer certainty.