COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

The socially-distanced reopening of indoor performances in England has been delayed until at least 15 August, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said



The easing of restrictions at theatres and music venues was due to start this weekend, but has been postponed amid concerns over a rise in virus cases.

In addition, masks will be required in museums, galleries and cinemas - enforceable in law from 8 August.

Mr Johnson said: "We simply cannot take the risk."

The government had been working with the arts sector on pilot performances with socially-distanced audiences in theatres and music venues in recent weeks.

Jon Morgan, director of Theatres Trust, said it was "disappointing that socially-distanced indoor performances will not be able to go ahead" as planned.

"However, in reality, the majority of theatres were not planning to reopen for shows tomorrow so a two-week delay will not make a huge difference.

"Most theatres will not be able to put on productions until we reach stage five [of the roadmap for the return of professional performing arts], which allows fuller audiences, so that is the most critical date for much of the sector."

In response to the delay, the Music Venue Trust said it was "saddened but not surprised" to hear that live music music events planned for the next few weeks must now be cancelled.

"Since May 2020, Music Venue Trust has repeatedly informed the government that live music events in grassroots music venues would be extraordinarily difficult to stage, not economically viable, and at risk of being cancelled at short notice during the current pandemic," it said in a statement.

"A number of venues across the country have attempted to stage such events based on advice from the government, incurring substantial costs to make their venues safe. That expenditure now adds to the growing mountain of debts accrued by those venues working within the government guidelines."

The trust reiterated its belief that "no grassroots music venue" will be able to "safely and viably" put on concerts before 1 October "at the earliest", and questioned the logic behind the Prime Minister's new proposed opening date.

On the subject of face masks, Bob Riley, CEO of Manchester Camerata orchestra added: "Can anyone tell me why we need masks in more places from 8 August... and not now?"

Coronavirus analysis: We're now at the limit of easing lockdown



This is it. We are now, give or take, at the absolute limit of how much we can reopen society without a resurgence of coronavirus.

This realisation at the heart of government is about more than delaying the opening of bowling alleys, it will define our lives for months to come - and probably until we have vaccine.

And I'm sorry to break it to parents, but the biggest question mark now is around the reopening of schools.

Over the past two weeks the number of confirmed infections has started to creep up again.

And the Office for National Statistics, which is regularly testing households in England, estimates there are around 4,200 new infections a day, compared with 2,800 a week ago.

For the first time since May, we're having to deal with rising numbers of cases.

The uptick in infections is a warning that we are passing the limits of lifting lockdown.

It is clear we are not a New Zealand, where life is almost back to normal after their "zero-Covid" strategy.

Prof Chris Whitty, the UK's chief medical adviser, said: "I think what we're seeing from the data from ONS, and other data, is that we have probably reached near the limit or the limits of what we can do in terms of opening up society.

"So what that means potentially is that if we wish to do more things in the future, we may have to do less of some other things."

School children are on their summer holidays at the moment, but we are just weeks away from the start of term. Schools are expected to reopen fully in England in September and in Scotland from 11 August.

If the current rules are leading to an increase in cases, can we open schools as well? This has been the concern of scientists since lockdown started to lift.

Or if we want to open schools will we now have to close something else like pubs?

Prof Whitty said these would be "difficult trade-offs" but it was important to be "realistic".

"The idea that we can open up everything and keep the virus under control is clearly wrong," Prof Whitty said.

The fact that cases are rising in the height of summer is also a concern. Exactly what will happen come winter is uncertain, but experience with other viruses suggests coronavirus will also find it easier to spread.

One government adviser told me "we can get away with a lot in summer". Restrictions may needed to be tightened as the seasons turn anyway.