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Coronavirus

11th Jan 2021

Boris Johnson reportedly spotted cycling seven miles from Downing Street

Boris Johnson has reportedly been spotted cycling in the Olympic Park, seven miles from Downing Street, despite emphasis on exercising locally

Reuben Pinder

Does 7 miles away count as local?

Boris Johnson was yesterday spotted cycling through the Olympic Park, the Evening Standard claim.

New lockdown rules stipulate that exercise can only be done ‘locally’, though there is no wording in the law as to what constitutes as local, only that you should remain within “your village, town or the part of a city where you live.”

The Standard claim the prime minister was wearing a TFL hat and a face mask as he cycled through the Olympic Park in east London on Sunday afternoon at 2pm.

Johnson is understood to have been concerned by the number of people he saw exercising in the park. A few hours after his bike ride, Johnson held a meeting with cabinet ministers to assess the current lockdown measures.

This sparked rumours of new, stricter rules being brought in, with the possibility of the government outlawing exercise with members of other households mooted.

Health secretary Matt Hancock will host a press conference at 5pm to address the nation on the current coronavirus restrictions and health data.

It was also announced today that 2.4 million Covid-19 vaccine jabs have been administered in the UK, with 40 per cent of 80-year-olds having received the jab.

“Today, I think I can confirm that we’ve done roughly 40% of the 80-year-olds in this country already, the prime minister said at a vaccination centre in Bristol.

“We’ve done about 23% of the elderly residents of care homes.”