Consumers in England may be asked to check in when they arrive at pubs and restaurants, as part of the the government’s plan for reopening the hospitality sector, the Matt Hancock has said.
Appearing on Sophy Ridge on Sunday on SkyNews, the health secretary confirmed the government hoped to reopen pubs and restaurants on 4 July, in line with Boris Johnson’s roadmap, published last month.
“In that plan, it states that on around 4 July we will take further measures if it is safe to do so. We talk about hospitality and outdoor hospitality in those plans,†he said, adding: “We are clearly on track for that plan.â€
Asked about reports that ministers are considering plans to ask diners and drinkers to register as they enter a venue, he said: “I wouldn’t rule that out. There are other countries in the world that take that approach.â€
In New Zealand, the public use their phones to scan codes as they go into hospitality outlets to build up a “digital diary†of where they have been, so that if a new case emerges, anyone who has been at the same outlet can be contacted easily.
Johnson’s review into the 2-metre social distancing rule is expected to conclude this week, perhaps as early as Tuesday. Carried out by the No 10 permanent secretary, Simon Case, it has considered scientific advice but also the impact of the rule on the economy.
The hospitality industry has been lobbying the government to relax the 2-metre rule, warning that it would make many businesses uneconomic even when they are allowed to reopen – and trigger a fresh wave of job losses.
Case is expected to conclude that the blanket 2-metre restriction can be lifted, and replaced with a “1-metre plus†rule, that would allow the public to be closer together, if other safety precautions are taken.
Asked about that idea, Hancock said: “That is the sort of thing we’re looking at to how do you make it safe to open things – and as safe as possible, to open as much as possible.
“Things like wearing a face mask, which reduces the transmission, clearly; how the seating is arranged – because face-to-face is much more dangerous than back-to-back, and there’s much more transmission than side-to-side.â€
Asked whether hairdressers would be included in the reopening plans, Hancock said: “A lot of the country does need a haircut: we need to do that in a safe way.â€
People over 60 or with health issues should wear a medical-grade mask when they are out and cannot socially distance, according to new guidance from the World Health Organization, while all others should wear a three-layer fabric mask.
The WHO guidance, announced on 5 June, is a result of research commissioned by the organisation. It is still unknown whether the wearers of masks are protected, say its experts, but the new design it advocates does give protection to other people if properly used.
The WHO says masks should be made of three layers – with cotton closest to the face, followed by a polypropylene layer and then a synthetic layer that is fluid-resistant. These are no substitute for physical distancing and hand hygiene, it says, but should be worn in situations where distancing is difficult, such as on public transport and at mass demonstrations.
The WHO has been reluctant to commit to recommending face coverings, firstly because the evidence on whether they offer any protection to the public is limited and – more importantly – because it was afraid it would lead to shortages of medical-grade masks for health workers.
 Sarah Boseley Health editor
With economic data continuing to be dire, Hancock declined to comment on reports that the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, was considering an emergency cut in VAT in his summer mini-budget to stimulate consumer spending.
“That is absolutely a matter for a budget, and you wouldn’t expect me to comment either way on any speculation,†Hancock said. He added, “but the broader point is true, which is that the economy has taken a terrible hit, and we need to get it back on its feet, and give people the confidence to get out there.â€
A VAT cut would echo a decision made by the former chancellor Alistair Darling, as the economy slid into recession during the global financial crisis in late 2008.
The shadow health secretary, Jon Ashworth, suggested Labour would back the lifting of the 2-metre rule, if other safety measures were brought in.
“Yes, under certain circumstances – but we also need to see a greater use of face masks, I would have thought. For certain staff, workers, who are public facing in their day-to-day action, a greater use of face shielding, let’s get track-and-trace up and running.â€
He added: “This still remains a deadly virus: we cannot be complacent, so if we are going to relax some measures we need to make sure other mitigation measures are in place.â€