XClose

UCL Faculty of Laws

Home
Menu

Dr Tom Hickman QC interviewed by Financial Times on UK social distancing guidelines

19 June 2020

Dr Hickman discussed the ‘two metre rule’ as part of the UK’s social distancing guidelines under the Coronavirus pandemic.

Tom Hickman

Dr Tom Hickman QC (Reader in Public Law at UCL Laws), has been interviewed for a Financial Times article called  'About that ‘two-metre rule’'. He discussed how keeping two metres away from people outside one’s household is merely a guideline, not a legally binding rule – as stated in the government’s strategy for lifting restrictions.

Dr Hickman had previously written about the debate around for changing the two metre distance on Twitter, stating that the two metre guideline is a “recommendation meant as a proxy” for advice on reducing the risk of Covid-19 transmission between people – and therefore, there is no rule which needs changing.

He also spoke about whether there would be any grounds for legal action if for example, a customer caught the virus after visiting a shop or restaurant that had not adhered to the two-metre guideline.

Read the article on the Financial Times website.