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What are the Government's five tests, and what happens now they've been met?

5 tests lifting uk lockdown - Getty Images
5 tests lifting uk lockdown - Getty Images
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter
Coronavirus Article Bar with counter

All five of the Government’s tests have now been met, meaning the UK will move to the next stage of lifting lockdown, Boris Johnson has said.

Announcing the changes, which will come into force from Monday, June 1, Mr Johnson said: “All five tests are being met. That's not my achievement, or the Government's achievement, it is your achievement.

“It's only possible thanks to your resolve and dedication to our national purpose, to overcome this virus.”

The five tests set out by the Government needed to be met before the UK could move on to the second phase of relaxing lockdown, these included suppressing the disease and keeping the reproduction rate, the R rate, down.

The tests and how they have each been met, are set out below:

Making sure NHS can cope

The Prime Minister has announced the country is now meeting the first test of protecting the NHS’s ability to cope during the pandemic.

Mr Johnson said: “We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK.”

He added thanks to the “heroic efforts” of the NHS workers and British people, the data is showing that this test has now been achieved.

On May 26, 475 people were admitted to hospital with Covid-19, down from a peak of 3,121 on April 2.

“This significant progress means we are meeting the first test,” he said during the daily Downing Street briefing on Thursday.

test 1
test 1

Death rate

The second test was to see a "sustained and consistent" fall in the daily death rate.

Mr Johnson said on Thursday the Government is “confident” that we have moved beyond the peak of the death rate, which now stands at an average of 256 deaths a day, down from 943 on April 14.

“It is now the case that there has been a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rate, and so the second test is being met,” Mr Johnson said.

test 2
test 2

Infections

The third test was for reliable data from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) to show that the rate of infection was decreasing to manageable levels across the board.

Professor Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer, previously told a briefing that it was Sage's job to tell ministers how much the R value will go up with each decision they take on lifting lockdown.

The Prime Minister said the number of people catching coronavirus is now “decreasing to manageable levels across the board”.

Over the last seven days there was an average of 2,312 cases, down from 5,066 in the first week of May, he said.

“Based on the various data available, the Government is satisfied that the third test is being met,” Mr Johnson added.

Test 3
Test 3

Protective gear and testing

The fourth test was to be confident that the range of operational challenges, including testing capacity and PPE, are in hand, with supply able to meet future demand.

Mr Johnson said he “fully acknowledges” the difficulties there have been on testing and PPE since the start of the outbreak.

“It's been immensely frustrating, but we are now making progress,” he said.

On Wednesday, PHE carried out 119,587 tests compared to around 12,000 at the start of April, he added.

On the issue of PPE, Mr Johnson said the Government has now signed contracts with more than 100 suppliers around the world, as well as with companies in the UK who will produce two billion PPE items.

Mr Johnson said the Government is now comfortable the fourth test has been met and they will start to rebuild stocks of PPE.

But he added there may be “some settings” which still require urgent restocking.

Test 4
Test 4

Second wave

But it seems the fifth test – of being confident that any changes do not risk another peak – presented the biggest challenge.

To avoid more exponential growth of the virus in the UK, the rate of infection - or 'R' value - must be kept below one.

That means each person who catches the virus infects fewer than one person.

Mr Johnson said that a “package” of measures have been designed by Sir Patrick Vallance, the chief scientific advisor and Prof Whitty, the chief medical officer.

The package includes the reopening of schools in phases, relaxing some social contact measures, and allowing non-essential retail stores to reopen while adhering to social distancing guidelines.

“This package has been carefully designed so that we can ease the burdens of the lockdown,” Mr Johnson said. “While expecting to keep that R below one.”

But the Prime Minister added he “cannot and will not throw away all the gains we've made together”, so any changes to lockdown measures will be done “carefully and cautiously”.

“So the result is, we can move forward with adjusting lockdown in England,” he added.

Test 5
Test 5