Apr 12, 2021 - World
Brits flock to pubs for first time in months as U.K. lockdown eases
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A cyclist rides with a friend along Regent Street as non-essential shops reopen in London on Monday. Photo: Hollie Adams/Bloomberg via Getty Images
People in England are enjoying some semblance of normalcy — and pouring their first pints in public — after COVID-19 restrictions eased at midnight Monday, allowing non-essential locations like salons, gyms and pubs to reopen for the first time since January.
Why it matters: Britain's partial reopening has come amid one of the world's most successful vaccination campaigns, sharply curbing a COVID-19 outbreak that has killed more people than in any other country in Europe.
- 40 million doses have been administered in the U.K., with over 48% of people receiving at least their first dose, according to Bloomberg's vaccine tracker.
- The next phase in England's reopening roadmap will see the return of indoor entertainment and possibly international travel on May 17, assuming certain criteria are met. The government is aiming to lift all restrictions on social contact on June 21.
In photos
