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Coronavirus: Minister tells businesses to 'standby' for decision on cutting two-metre distancing rule

"This won't be a long process," the transport secretary promises - after claims 3.5 million jobs depend on the change.

People walk pass social distancing signage on Oxford Street, London, ahead of the re-opening of non-essential retailers in England on June 15.
Image: Britons have been urged to stay two metres apart to avoid spreading COVID-19
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Businesses have been told to "standby" for a decision on whether the two-metre social distancing rule will be eased.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps promised businesses the government review on halving how far apart people should stay to avoid spreading coronavirus will not be a "long process".

He admitted there is "pressure" to relax the guidance, given the World Health Organisation says it should be "at least one metre" and some Conservative MPs claim 3.5 million jobs are at risk if the restrictions aren't eased.

A woman wears a face mask and surgical gloves while carrying a bag and walking passed closed small businesses on High Street
Image: More shops will be allowed to reopen if they can do so safely from 4 July

"This won't be a long process but it's important to get it right," Mr Shapps told Sky News' Kay Burley@Breakfast.

"As everybody knows there is lots of different evidence coming in from around the world where different countries are using different amounts of space.

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"We must not go back to the virus spreading virulently within society."

Britons have been told since COVID-19 cases surged in March to maintain social distancing when around others from outside their own household.

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This has meant trying to keep two metres (6.5ft) apart from others when outside, at work and in shops.

Government guidance acknowledges that "this will not always be possible", but adds that the risk of infection increases the closer you are to someone with the virus.

Visitors to Southend-on-Sea are being told to continue observing social distancing measures on the beach
Image: The WHO says the distance could be 'at least one metre'

Campaigners calling for the two-metre rule to be halved say it would allow more children to return to school and businesses like bars and restaurants and smaller shops to reopen.

Professors Carl Heneghan and Tom Jefferson, academics at the Oxford University Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, said that "the evidence informing policy in this outbreak is poor quality".

They wrote in the Daily Telegraph on Monday that evidence shows the risk of catching COVID-19 is higher in healthcare settings than in the community and higher indoors than outdoors but "cannot say" if "there is any measured distance that reduces your risk".

Children are seen in class before social distancing (file pic)
Image: Campaigners say halving the distance could help schools reopen quicker

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab has defended the current policy, saying on Monday: "There's no magic to one or other particular measure, there will be different levels of risk whether it's at two metres, one-and-a-half metres or one metre.

"We are still going to make sure that all of the policy judgements that we rightly as politicians take and are accountable for are underpinned by the science."

The review into cutting the distance was confirmed over the weekend, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak vowing that it will be ministers rather than the government's scientific advisers who will take the final decision on whether to change policy.

Should the two-metre social distancing restriction be reduced?
Should the two-metre social distancing restriction be reduced?

Some experts, including the chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty, have previously signalled their reluctance to see any easing while the COVID-19 pandemic continues.

There are different rules across the world when it comes to how much room to allow for social distancing.

France, Denmark and Singapore are among the nations that say it should be one metre.

But the UK is not an international outlier when it comes to advocating two metres: Canada and Spain have the same guidance in place.