VE Day 75th anniversary marked with pared-down events, ahead of Boris Johnson’s Sunday ‘roadmap’ to ease lockdown restrictions
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“Any premature loosening of the lockdown will only prolong the crisis,” the Guardian warns in an editorial.
A successful exit will require a much sharper drop in infections, and better preparation, than we have so far seen. Immense issues remain with testing. Tracing is not feasible while the incidence of infections is so high, and the government could yet ditch its own contact-tracing app in favour of the “decentralised” model favoured by Apple and Google. Health and social care workers must be adequately protected. Though the right would like to see Mr Johnson offer a timeline for key measures, this should be resisted. A broad outline of plans is sensible. But any dates attached, however carefully caveated, will inevitably be seen as promises; the political pressure not to deviate from them will be intense.
What is needed is sober decision-making, with an open discussion about the scientific evidence, and proper scrutiny.
Related: The Guardian view on relaxing lockdown: repent at leisure | Editorial
Here’s a roundup of the latest developments on coronavirus in the UK:
Baby among 626 new victims in the UK
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