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Coronavirus lockdown: What the 'new normal' could mean for schools, sport and the high street – iNews, Inews.co.uk

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Once lockdown restrictions are relaxed a “new normal” of social distancing is likely to affect every aspect of national life

(Sunday, (th April) , : PM

Updated Sunday, th April , : (pm)

The Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said the public will have to get used to a ‘new normal’ of social distancing as lockdown begins to be relaxed (Photo: GLYN KIRK / AFP via Getty Images) The Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has said there will have to be a “new normal” to control the spread of coronavirus as lockdown restrictions begin to be relaxed. It is likely to affect every aspect of national life – from education to the high street.

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Appearing on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, Mr Raab said it was “inconceivable” schools could reopen without social distancing.

“It’s inconceivable that they would come back without further measures as are already being applied in those schools that are open for key workers,” he said.

Class sizes

Mr Raab refused to give any detail about what form these measures would take.

However, the Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon , confirmed that schools may reopen with reduced class sizes to keep pupils f Besides, with children potentially attending schools on alternating days.

Nicola Sturgeon said she would not act differently from the rest of the UK ‘for the sake of it’ (Photo: Scottish Government) “I think arrangements like that may well be what we have to put in place to allow children to start going back to school, “she said.

Rachel Reeves, Laboror shadow cabinet minister, said social distancing in schools would be “really tricky”.

But she went on: “What you’re seeing in places like Denmark for example is that class sizes have had to be reduced so tha t you can have a degree of social distancing in schools.

“For the youngest children that is going to be near impossible, to have that distancing, but if you can reduce the class sizes, if you can have children outside at school as much as possible, I think there are ways to do that. ”

Amateur sport

Mr Raab also said it would be “very difficult” for amateur sport to resume this summer “because of the level and scale of interaction ”. “ I think the professional sport may be different because of the scale of testing that they would be able to introduce, ”he said. “ We do want to look when it is safe and responsible at ways to allow more outdoors activities to take place, but again we have to have the evidence that it is a sure-footed step that does not allow coronavirus to get a grip back on the country. ”

The high street

Senior citizens queue to shop at Sainsbury’s Supermarket on March (Photo: Getty)

The British Retail Consortium has suggested shops install cleaning stations with hand sanitiser and disinfectant wipes to support the reopening of the high street once coronavirus restrictions are eased.

It has drawn up guidelines with the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers. suggesting stores limit entry and exit points, use floor markings to outline social distancing and keep changing rooms closed. BRC chief Helen Dickinson said the guidance measures would serve to ensure the safety and wellbeing of customers and staff. “Since the lockdown, many retailers have proved how shops can be run safely and effectively in line with the Government’s social distancing advice, “she said. “Continued close collaboration with government, including public support for the steps retailers are taking and adequate notice to get supply chains up and running, will mean that retail businesses can start trading again slowly and safely, and customers can feel confident that they are safe to return to shops. ”


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