A minute's silence and a doorstep vigil are set to be held today to mark one year since Prime Minister Boris Johnson called the UK's first coronavirus lockdown.
A minute's silence will be held across the UK today to mark one year of being in lockdown. Since the very first lockdown was introduced in March 2020, the nation has suffered almost 150,000 Covid deaths and endured months under variations of lockdown restrictions.
With the vaccine rollout allowing Brits to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel and Boris Johnson revealing the government's roadmap out of lockdown in February, restrictions (including those on how many people can meet outside and indoors) are still set to stay in place until June 21st at the earliest.
Meanwhile foreign holidays are looking off the cards for the foreseeable future, with ongoing travel restrictions set to stay and a £5,000 fine expected to be implemented for abroad travel later this week.
What time is the minute's silence today?
A minute's silence is to be held at noon today (March 23rd) to remember those we lost to the pandemic.
At 8pm Brits are also being encouraged to stand on their doorsteps with candles, torches, lights and phones to signify a "beacon of remembrance" for what Mr Johnson has described as one of the hardest years in the nation's history.
"Today, the anniversary of the first lockdown, is an opportunity to reflect on the past year - one of the most difficult in our country's history," Boris Johnson said of today's poignant milestone.
"The last 12 months has taken a huge toll on us all, and I offer my sincere condolences to those who have lost loved ones."
In his statement today, the Prime Minister thanked key workers and the public for playing their part in taking us this far through the struggles of the pandemic.
"We have all played our part, whether it's working on the front line as a nurse or carer, working on vaccine development and supply, helping to get that jab into arms, home schooling your children, or just by staying at home to prevent the spread of the virus.
"It's because of every person in this country that lives have been saved, our NHS was protected, and we have started on our cautious road to easing restrictions once and for all."
