Tony Blair urges Boris Johnson to reopen shops by end of March if Covid cases have fallen below 5,000 a day
TONY Blair urged Boris Johnson to reopen shops if coronavirus cases fall to under 5,000 a day.
The former Prime Minister's projection means non-essential retail could open as early as March based on the current rate of decline, analysis suggests.
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Latest figures show an average of 11,600 new coronavirus cases reported a day in the UK.
But the 's projection could be hindered by schools reopening - which could drive cases up and push non-essential retail back to opening in April.
Mr Blair's Tony Blair Institute yesterday published his blueprint out of lockdown with a traffic light system on when to open different parts of the economy.
It suggests that pubs and restaurants could open when cases are down to 1,000 a day - which could be May 7 if they keep falling at the current rate.
But it is again unlikely cases will fall steadily in the same pattern as now when other sectors begin unlocking.
It it thought the Tony Blair Institute's plan could closely resemble to Prime Minister's - set to be unveiled on Monday.
The report is the first to suggest several benchmarks to ease lockdown. Each step is dependent on the reproduction rate and case numbers.
Britain's 'R' rate currently sits just below one between 0.7 and 0.9.
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Tony Blair has retained close contact with Whitehall officials and has been helpful to the Government in deciding policy.
He was one of the first to advocate prioritising giving one jab rather than two doses of the vaccine.
Yesterday it was revealed that two households will be able to meet outdoors from Easter.