Boost for pubs' reopening plans as two-metre social distancing rule could be reduced

The recommended separation in the UK to prevent the spread of coronavirus is twice that advised by the World Health Organisation and greater than that in most other countries.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has asked members of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) to review whether that distance can be reduced.

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Addressing the Commons Liaison Committee on Wednesday, he said: “The advice from SAGE remains at the moment that there’s a very considerable reduction in risk at two metres.

“My own hope is that as we make progress in getting the virus down, in reducing the incidents, that we will be able to reduce that distance, which I think will be particularly valuable in transport and clearly in the hospitality sector.”

When quizzed on whether SAGE would be asked to review this guidance, given the ‘massive impact’ it could have on shops and other businesses reopening, he responded: “I can not only make that commitment, I can say I have already done that.”

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His comments came as the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) warned that many pubs would find it ‘impossible’ to implement two-metre social distancing measures and jobs could go if the guidance is not relaxed.

Public Health England's medical director, Professor Yvonne Doyle, previously said the UK had taken a ‘cautionary’ approach to introducing the rule when other countries were using shorter distances.

She told the Science and Technology Select Committee: "We are aware of the international differences and I am sure this will be the subject of continued investigation as to whether two metres is actually necessary or whether that can be reduced further."

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Catherine Noakes, professor of environmental engineering for buildings at the University of Leeds, later told the committee there was very little evidence of outdoor transmission of the virus.

However, she said there was evidence of virus transmission within two metres.

Research from the American Institute of Physics published earlier this month found saliva droplets can travel more than five metres in five seconds if there is a slight breeze of around 4kph (2.5mph).