Criticized, Boris Johnson details his plan of deconfinement in three stages

Criticized for the vagueness of his deconfinement strategy, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson worked on Monday to detail a three-stage easing plan, without however removing all the ambiguities and warning that he would have "no hesitation ” to go back if necessary. At a time when several countries have started to release the pressure, the head of government intervened on Sunday evening on television to extend until June 1 the confinement decreed at the end of March, with slight adjustments and prospects of easing for the after.

Confused about how to return to work, endangering the most modest workers, deemed premature by the Scottish authorities and the teachers' unions, denounced by the air sector for its quarantine plan for travelers ... This plan immediately aroused a fire fueled by attacks, from the unions to the conservative press.

Read also: Covid-19: confinement extended at least until June 1 in the United Kingdom

After the publication by his government of a three-stage plan detailed in about fifty pages, Boris Johnson explained himself for more than an hour on Monday to the deputies, then during the daily briefing of the government, without however lifting all unknown. “Our challenge is to find a way to move forward while preserving the hard-won gains, while reducing the burden of containment. I will be frank: it is an extremely difficult balance to find, ” he admitted to Parliament. "If the data goes in the wrong direction (...) we will have no hesitation in slowing down, delaying measures or reintroducing others, locally, regionally or nationally" .

Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer denounced in a tweet Monday the lack of "clarity" in the plan by Boris Johnson, which he said leaves many Britons with questions unanswered. According to the government plan planned for England but criticized by other regions - Scotland in mind -, citizens will be able to walk, sunbathe or go to beaches and nature from Wednesday. They will however have to stay away from each other and it is recommended that they wear masks in transport and shops.

While teleworking is still recommended, those who cannot work from home - especially in factories and construction sites - are encouraged to go to work.

A quarantine is planned for travelers arriving from abroad, except Ireland and France, but no date has been given.

In a second step, from June 1 and in the event of progress in the fight against the pandemic, primary schools and certain businesses may reopen, the sports season restart in camera and each household will have the right to attend one other.

Third stage from July 4: reopen pubs, hairdressers, places of worship and cinemas.

Read also: The UK is now the most affected country in Europe

Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon has already said that these announcements do not apply to her region: "The Scottish government is not yet convinced that these changes can be made safely in Scotland without running the may see the virus potentially get out of control again. ”

"The disease has reached different stages in different parts of the country" , justified Monday evening Boris Johnson, saying that "it is a good thing that the decentralized administrations adopt different approaches to deal with the pandemic in their region " . "I hope, I hope, I hope for a vaccine" against the virus, he added during this daily press briefing, while the United Kingdom is now the second most bereaved country in the world by the new coronavirus after the United States, with 32,065 deaths in hospitals and retirement homes.

In education, unions are standing up against the return of students in June. And concern is strong regarding the return of some to work from Wednesday for lack of clear instructions, especially since the low-skilled professions are the first concerned despite an already higher mortality, according to a study by the National Bureau of Statistics.

Taking the lead, the London transport authority, TfL, asked passengers on Monday to cover their faces, while working to increase the rate of services.