Russian president Vladimir Putin unexpectedly ordered millions of his countrymen back to work on Monday, formally ending the nation’s ambiguous six-week “non-working holiday.”

After claiming success for “slowing” the spread of coronavirus, the longtime leader used a TV address to announce that key workers in energy, communications, manufacturing and agriculture sectors would return from Tuesday. But many other restrictions would remain in place, including the most stringent laws introduced by regional leaders.

The president’s announcement effectively ended one hazy legal state meaning different things in different parts of the country — replacing it with another hazy state meaning different things in different parts of the country.

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Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt called on the Government to “sweep aside the secrecy” surrounding Sage, with the publication of its recommendations as well as dissenting views.

He told MPs: “British science is world beating because we’ve always championed inventiveness and encouraged challenge.

“So let’s sweep aside the secrecy that surrounds Sage and publish what it recommends, including dissenting views.

“That way we’ll harness the robust exchange of ideas which has always been one of our greatest national strengths, and as the Prime Minister said yesterday, come out of this crisis wiser and stronger.”

More than 27.5 million people tuned in to Boris Johnson’s address on the UK’s lockdown on Sunday night, making it one of the most-watched television broadcasts in British history.

The prime minister’s statement, which was aired in the 7pm slot across major channels, outlined in broad terms the government’s “road map” for restarting the economy and social life in England when the coronavirus lockdown comes to an end.

It pulled in an average of 27.68 million viewers, surpassing the audience figures for the 2012 Olympics opening ceremony and the wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
 

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “The PM made the point (in the Commons) that if staff are concerned they can register those concerns with the Health and Safety Executive.

“The Health and Safety Executive obviously has existing powers.

“We want people to feel like they can go back to work safely and it is for employers, who I do think have been responsible so far, and employees to have a conversation and make sure they feel safe to go back to work.”

The horticultural industry has been one of the worst affected sectors of the coronavirus lockdown, which is estimated to have cost businesses millions since the closure of all garden centres and nurseries during its peak season.

While they have been closed, many gardeners turned to buying from online plant nurseries and garden centres to support them.

All garden centres and nurseries shut on 23 March at the start of lockdown.

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For a fifth straight day Italy’s daily number of new Covid-19 infections has declined. According to Italian Health Ministry data, there were 744 confirmed new cases registered since Sunday evening.

That number is lower than daily caseloads when contagion containment measures went into effect nationwide in early March.

Italy is moving cautiously and gradually in reopening economic sectors and in removing travel limits.

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has told a press conference in Geneva that governments need to consider three factors when considering how to safely reopen schools.

“Second, the epidemiology of Covid-19 where the school is geographically located needs to be considered.

“Third, the ability to maintain Covid-19 prevention and control measures within the school setting.

“When reflecting on the decision to reopen schools the local government should assess the capacity of the schools to maintain infection prevention and control measures.”

“To keep my constituents and others safe, will the Prime Minister now instruct site managers to stagger operating times and have the Government take responsibility for making sure this happens?”

Mr Johnson said the Government is working with Transport for London “to ensure that people on TfL are kept safe, that we have social distancing on the Tube”.

He added: “And of course people will instinctively say that is going to be very, very difficult.

“Yes it is going to be very difficult, it will mean very substantial reductions in capacity Mr Speaker but we must do it to make it work, to make sure that the honourable gentleman’s constituents can get safely to work.”

Around 1,100 workers at P&O Ferries are to be made redundant as part of a plan to make the business “viable and sustainable”, the company has said.

Ferry services have been among the transport systems struck by the virus due to dwindling use from the public.

Mr Johnson responded: “That’s not right.”

“Six-and-a-half million people currently are being supported. It is absolutely right that we should do it.

“I don’t want to anticipate what [Mr Sunak] is going to say but the House will hear more about that tomorrow.”

Boris Johnson has said the government will enfore social distancing rules in businesses that reopen this week.

“We are going to insists that businesses across this country look after their workers”, he said.

Asked about increases to fines noted in last night’s address, Mr Johnson confirmed the police would retain the right to levy members of the public up to £3,600 for breaches of social distancing.

The response to the PMs statement to the house has mostly focused on criticism of the delivery of his address last night.

Mr Johnson said “we can’t do anything for swimming pools” but changes to allow people to access lakes and the sea will kick in from Wednesday because there is a “lower risk outdoors than indoors”, reiterating there will be no limits on the frequency of outdoor exercise during the easing of the lockdown measures.

The prime minister told the Commons about the upcoming changes: “You can now walk, sit and rest in parks, you can play sports and exercise and you can do all these things with members of your own household or with one other person from another household provided you observe social distancing and remain two metres apart.

“I do hope that’s clear.”

Mr Johnson, in his statement to the Commons, also said: “We have begun our descent from the peak of the epidemic but our journey has reached the most perilous moment where a wrong move could be disastrous.

“So at this stage we can go no further than to announce the first careful modification of our measures.”

Mr Johnson encouraged people to drive, walk or cycle to work, but also told MPs: “With more activity outside our homes we’d now advise people to wear a cloth face covering in enclosed spaces where social distancing is not always possible and you’re more likely to come into contact with people you don’t normally meet.

“Face coverings can help to protect each other and reduce the spread of the disease, particularly if you have coronavirus-like symptoms.

“But this does not mean wearing medical face masks… which must be reserved for people who need them.”

Mr Johnson said that there is a “vast amount more to be done” to improve the situation in care homes.

He told the Commons: “Thanks to the hard work and sacrifice of the British people by following the social distancing rules, we’re now in a position where we can move in stages to where I hope the scientific advice will tell us that we are down to level three.

“But this will only happen if everyone continues to play their part, to stay alert and to follow the rules.

“We must also deal with the epidemic in care homes, where a tragic number of the elderly and vulnerable have been lost and while the situation is thankfully improving, there is a vast amount more to be done.”