This archive report was first published on 7 June 2020.
London, United Kingdom - June 15 is set to mark a significant milestone in the UK's fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, with the government announcing the reopening of places of worship for individual prayer.
The decision comes as the UK government looks to speed up easing measures to save jobs, with Prime Minister Boris Johnson's office stating that services and worship groups will still be banned for the time being due to concerns over the spread of the virus in enclosed spaces.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick acknowledged the patience and forbearance shown by people of all faiths, who have been unable to mark significant religious events such as Easter, Passover, Ramadan, and Vaisakhi with friends and family in the traditional way.
“We are now able to move forwards with a limited but important return to houses of worship,” Jenrick said in a statement.
The UK's official COVID-19 death toll stands at 40,465, second only to that of the United States. However, cases across Europe have fallen sharply, and Britain is cautiously proceeding with partial school reopenings and the resumption of basic business activity that ended on March 23.
The government also intends to reopen all stores on June 15 and push ahead with a plan to return to a semblance of normal life in July.
Johnson has faced intense criticism for his handling of the health crisis, with critics arguing that Britain had ample time to take precautions after seeing the disease spread from China to Italy and other parts of Europe at the start of the year.
John Edmunds, a member of the government's scientific advisory group, told the BBC that he wished the government had gone into lockdown earlier, as he believes it would have saved lives.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock argued that the government was proceeding with caution due to concerns over the economic effects of a second lockdown, stating that “the worst thing for the economy would be a second spike”.
