What could Boris Johnson's 'road map' look like? - plans for pubs, schools and non-essential shops

While details of the plans remain unknown, Mr Johnson has said that he will provide dates for when we could see venues reopening “if we possibly can”.

The “road map” will lay out a broad plan for leading the country out of a third national lockdown.

Boris Johnson has said easing England’s lockdown will be based on a “cautious and prudent approach”, as he was urged to focus on data rather than dates when lifting restrictions.

The Prime Minister has been clear that he wants this lockdown to be the last.

He urged the public to be “both optimistic but also patient” ahead of announcing plans saying “we want progress to be cautious but also irreversible.”

The Prime Minister is preparing to set out his ‘road map’ for relaxing lockdown measures on February 22. (PA)

So, what could the Prime Minister’s “road map” look like? This is what we know so far.

Which restrictions are likely to be lifted first?

The government have been persistent in saying that the reopening of schools in England remains a priority.

March 8 was earmarked as the date pupils will return to schools although that date is not yet set in stone.

Teachers, parents and pupils were promised at least two weeks’ notice to prepare for a return to classrooms meaning the Prime Minister will have to confirm that date on Monday for that to be the case.

Since his initial pledge of reopening schools on March 8, Mr Johnson has said ministers are “doing everything we can” to see children return to classrooms by then “if we possibly can”.

It is also clear the government would like to see children’s team sports return as soon as possible with ministers predicting this could begin as early as next month.

Although adult team sports are likely to remain off limits for some time, much like the first lockdown, it is thought sports that naturally support social distancing such as golf and tennis could resume much sooner.

sports that naturally support social distancing could resume much sooner. (Canva)

What could be next?

The Prime Minister has said the easing of restrictions in England will happen in “stages” and it looks like people will have to wait longer than hoped to visit their favourite establishment.

Mr Johnson is understood to be keen to allow more outdoor recreation in time for spring, under current rules people are only allowed to leave their house for a limited number of reasons, including daily exercise and essential shopping trips.

It is likely non-essential shops will be high on the list of priorities for the government with ministers concerned over the economic consequences of extending lockdown further.

Non-essential stores will likely follow the example of supermarkets and introduce stricter rules for shoppers including face covering and social distancing.

Unfortunately for the hospitality sector it seems they may have to wait the longest to reopen.

Boris Johnson has hinted pubs and restaurants will be the last to reopen, the same as it was after the first lockdown.

The Prime Minster said: He added: "I certainly think that we need to go in stages. We need to go cautiously.

"You have to remember from last year that we opened up hospitality fully as one of the last things that we did because there is obviously an extra risk of transmission from hospitality.

"I know there's a lot of understandable speculation in the papers and people coming up with theories about what we're going to do, what we're going to say, and about the rates of infection, and so on.

"I would just advise everybody just wait, we'll try and say as much as we can on that."

What about further speculation?

There has been speculation ahead of Boris Johnson unveiling his plans. (PA)

There are a number of reports in the media this week regarding the roadmap out of lockdown, which seem to suggest the Government is leaning toward a cautious approach.

The Telegraph reports that lockdown won’t be significantly eased until the number of new daily Covid cases drops below 1,000.

While this could happen as soon as early April (according to some estimates based on the current rate at which new case numbers are falling), it is expected that new cases will rise again once students return to school.

Speaking to the Telegraph, an unnamed senior Whitehall source said: “For any significant relaxation of lockdown, household mixing and reopening pubs, case numbers have to be in the hundreds, not thousands.”

However, the Government has reportedly been keen to quash these claims, with Politico’s Playbook reporting that a government official says the Telegraph story is “completely wrong”.

The government has also sought to downplay the veracity of claims in the Daily Mail today, which reports that different sectors will be opened in four week stages, with pubs and restaurants unlikely to reopen until May, and hotels back to normal by July.

The outlet also reports that the current work from home instruction will remain in place once the roadmap is unveiled.