United Kingdom: deconfinement progresses, threatened by the spread of the Indian variant
Brits march in Oxford Circus, London, July 24, 2020. Simon Dawson / Reuters
Text by: RFI Follow
3 min
Reopening of indoor catering, museums, theaters and cinemas: the British are starting the third stage of their gradual deconfinement this Monday, May 17.
But a deconfinement in the concern because of the spread of the Indian variant in the country.
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With our correspondent in London
,
Claire Digiacomi
The cases of people contaminated by
the Indian variant
are currently few: 1,300 in total.
But they doubled in a week and Boris Johnson warned: The
final stage of deconfinement
, June 21, could be revised if the Indian variant continues to spread.
On the banks of the Thames, near Battersea Park, Chris Swiney is busy before the reopening of his cinema.
He had to adapt to the sanitary rules but he does not shy away from his pleasure: “
I am very happy, really really happy.
I feel like it's been so long.
And ticket sales show people are eager to come back too.
"
"
I cross my fingers
"
Everything is also ready in this Italian restaurant in the Pimlico district.
Spaced tables, masks and gel available, staff tested ... This new step delighted Wafa, the manager, but she fears new restrictions because of the Indian variant.
“
I keep my fingers crossed and I want to believe this won't happen,
” she says
.
But believe me, for a company like ours, it will be complicated.
If we still have to close, I am convinced that we will not be able to reopen afterwards.
"
Not enough for the moment to discourage Londoners.
Guy and Joan have already planned to see
Taxi Driver again
on the big screen and they are counting on the vaccination campaign to avoid a flashback.
"
I'm not worried, there is nothing we can do about it anyway
", explains one.
“
It's up to each of us to take precautions, to continue to be careful.
Now we can only wait and see,
”concludes the other.
Waiting and seeing is also
the government's position,
which has not rejected this reopening, but has not ruled out postponing the last stage, on June 21, either.
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