By Tony O’Riley-
The British public have been told to stay indoors this bank holiday weekend as a cabinet minister said there has been no “green light to abandon the lockdown“.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden’s comments came in response to inaccurate reports from the press that the UK lockdown was about to be widely eased beginning from the bank holiday . Building on the message from Dominic Raab yesterday to a press conference that the PM this Sunday will set out a roadmap with milestones, that can look to the future, Culture Secretary , Oliver Dowden said the message to the public remains to stay at home.
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Boris Johnson is expected to announce his “roadmap” for easing restrictions while still trying to prevent infections when he addresses the nation this Sunday.
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden told Sky News the coronavirus social distancing message remains unchanged until the prime minister makes an address to the nation on Sunday evening.
There would only be “very small tentative steps”, conditional on the scientific evidence, he said as he sought to downplay expectations raised by Boris Johnson over changes to the COVID-19 lockdown ahead of the VE Day bank holiday.
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There have also been concerns about “mixed messages”, after newspaper reports suggested sunbathing and picnics could be allowed as early as Monday.
It came as much of the UK will be basked in glorious sunshine, with temperatures expected to reach up to 26C (78.8F) on Friday.
“The public have not been given a green light to abandon the lockdown.
“We are passed that first peak but we have to ensure that we don’t allow a second peak that overwhelms the NHS because that would destroy all the hard work we have put in so far.
“This weekend… the message remains the same. People need to stay at home in order to protect the NHS and save lives.
“On Sunday, what the prime minister will do is set out the roadmap for the months ahead. We have passed the peak of the infection so we can now start to look to the future.
“But I have to say these will be very very limited steps and very conditional steps.
“If the is any evidence the reinfection rate is starting to rise back out of control we will be pull back on those lockdown measures.
“Don’t expect big changes from the prime minister on Sunday.
“We will set out that roadmap so people can see where we are going but we will only go through each phase of that roadmap if we are permitted to do so by the evidence.”
Snowden’s warning comes as Wales announced only “modest” changes to the coronavirus lockdown, Mr Drakeford warned it was “too soon” to go further.
Mr Drakeford warned the Welsh public that anyone thinking of travelling to beaches or mountains that they will be stopped and sent home.
“We must not lose the progress we have made,” he said.
“All of us must continue to work from home wherever they can. All of us must only travel when absolutely necessary.”
The rest of Wales stay-at-home restrictions will be extended for another three weeks until 28 May.
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