Covid lockdown could wind down in May if UK follows Israel's roadmap

Britain will only begin to emerge from lockdown at the end of May, if it follows the Israeli roadmap for defeating coronavirus. Israel has started implementing a three-stage plan to exit draconian Covid restrictions – similar to the blueprint Boris Johnson is set to lay out on February 22. Israeli officials hope to let non-essential shops, gyms and libraries reopen within a fortnight. But ministers will only give the move the green light on February 23 if 90 per cent of over-50s have been vaccinated and at least a third of the country have had their booster dose. Infection rates must also continue to plummet.