PEOPLE will be able to meet in groups of up to six people and the most clinically vulnerable can get outside from tomorrow (Monday, June 1) as the coronavirus lockdown eases further.

As the country comes into the tenth week of restrictions imposed by the government to stop the spread of the virus, some measures will be eased.

It falls on the first day of the meteorological summer, and also coincides with an extended period of hot weather.

Earlier this month, restrictions had been relaxed to allow unlimited exercise, whilst some leisure facilities such as golf courses, outdoor tennis courts and athletics tracks had been reopened.

Also, people were allowed to meet one person from another household, and those who cannot work from home were asked to go back to work.

1. Shielders can get some fresh air

From Monday, people who had been asked to remain at home since mid-March will be allowed to go outdoors again, the BBC reports.

They say that at this afternoon's daily government briefing, people who are clinically extremely vulnerable, and as such have been asked to shield from the virus, will get the green light to go out once a day with members of their household.

They will also be able to meet one other person from another household, whilst social distancing.

Shielding measures had been due to remain in place until the end of June.

It's estimated that around 2.2 million people were asked to stay at home in March. Support put in place, such as deliveries of food and medicine, will stay in place.

2. Gatherings of six allowed

On Thursday, Boris Johnson announced that people will be able to see each other again in groups of six, but only outdoors.

People not in the same household will have to maintain strict social distancing of two metres from people who are not in their household.

These meetings can take place in parks, but also in private gardens.

However, people should still not meet others that do not live with them indoors.

3. Sports to return

Basingstoke Gazette:

Live sports including horse racing, snooker, football, Formula 1 and cricket will be able to return to TV screens in the coming weeks.

Culture, Media and Sports secretary Oliver Dowden announced that the government had given the green light for elite level sport to return from Monday, as long as they meet government guidance to make it safe.

Whilst the date of return will be up to the governing bodies of each individual sport, this can be as early as Monday. Indeed, horse racing will return tomorrow, whilst football has already set a date of June 17 to return.

The revised Formula 1 season is expected to begin on July 5 in Austria, before two races in the UK in early August.

All sporting events will be behind closed doors.

4. Schools and nurseries to reopen to more pupils

Basingstoke Gazette:

The decision to allow pupils in reception, Year 1 and Year 6 return to school on Monday has been a controversial one.

However, the Prime Minister announced on Thursday that he had given the green light for them to welcome back more pupils.

Various measures, including smaller class sizes, protective 'bubbles' and staggered start and finishing times, have been introduced to try to ensure the safety of pupils.

On top of this, Year 10 and 12 students will have some face-to-face contact with their teachers from June 15.

Schools have been open throughout the pandemic, looking after the children of key workers and the most vulnerable. This will continue, regardless of year group.

5. Some non-essential retail to resume

Basingstoke Gazette:

Whilst supermarkets and other food stores, plus essential shops, have remained open throughout the pandemic, more non-essential retail will be able to open their doors from Monday.

At first, these will include outdoor markets and car showrooms, which are more spacious and the government say are at a reduced risk of spreading coronavirus.

It's also easier to apply social distancing.

And from June 15, more non-essential retailers, including clothes shops and indoor markets, will be able to reopen their doors, as long as they are "Covid-secure".

However, hairdressers and much of the hospitality sector will have to remain closed for now.

Criticism from advisors

However, the latest easing to lockdown has been described as too much too soon by some scientists.

Professor John Edmunds, from the London School of Tropical Hygiene and Medicine, said: "Many of us would prefer to see the incidence down to lower levels before we relax measures."

Meanwhile, Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said: "Covid-19 [is] spreading too fast to lift lockdown in England."