UK and Italy seek to further ease lockdowns as scientists urge caution

The European Commission predicts coronavirus will produce a GDP hit of 7.7 per cent in 2020. And it predicts the UK economy will shrink by 8.3 per cent. Some schools and outdoor markets are set to reopen today in line with social distancing measures in the UK. And competitive horse racing events are set to restart, while 2m vulnerable people at higher risk from coronavirus are now being allowed outside. Non-essential shops like clothing retailers and bookshops are set to be able to reopen from 15 June under UK guidelines. Meanwhile, the Premier League will return from 17 June. “We’ll have to take further restrictive measures if we find any uptick in the virus,” foreign secretary Dominic Raab told the BBC yesterday. He added that “we can’t just stay in lockdown forever”.