Friends and family may soon be allowed to meet up in a small 'bubble' for picnics under new plans being drawn up to ease the coronavirus lockdown.
The government is considering letting a small group mingle and families may be allowed to leave their homes more often and for longer in time for summer.
The proposals are being considered by ministers as they try to steer the nation into adopting a “new normal” routine.
But any changes will not be rolled out for several weeks as the government want to see the number of Covid-19 cases decrease further, Sun Online reports.
Prime Minster Boris Johnson ’s official spokesman confirmed ministers are looking at easing the lockdown so Brits can enjoy being outdoors in the sunshine.
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He said: “Once we have the scientific evidence, we will be able to set out what those arrangements are.
“Broadly the scientific and medical experts have been clear that there is less likelihood of transmission of this disease outdoors than indoors.
“That will obviously be something we are considering as part of the review."
Mr Johnson announced last week that the nation was past the peak of the killer virus and was working on his plans to loosen restrictions which he will reveal in a major speech on Sunday.
A Scottish government document outlining the plan states: “We are considering if and how we could make changes to allow people to meet with a small number of others (the number is under consideration) outside their own household in a group or “bubble” that acts as a single, self-contained unit, without connections to other households or 'bubbles'.
“It is possible that this option would be introduced first for outdoor meetings, ahead of any change to permit indoor meetings of the bubble.”
Under the 'bubble plan' people would be allowed to pick a small number of friends and family to mix with but will not be allowed to mingle with anyone else.
Relationships with family members and friendships will be tested as people decide who they want in their bubble while grandparents could face a painful dilemma when choosing.
Everyone would still need to adhere to social distancing measures when mixing in their bubble.
In addition, if anyone in the group starts to suffer from coronavirus symptoms the others could be ordered to self-isolate for a fortnight.
Current rules only allow people to leave their homes if they are a key worker, to do essential shopping or for their daily exercise.
But ministers are considering “changes to allow people to leave their home more often and/or for longer”.
Factories and more shops are expected to be among the first phase of businesses allowed to reopen when the lockdown eases.
The plans have been drawn up by Scotland, but so far the devolved regions have worked with Westminster on tackling coronavirus.
Schools are not expected to reopen all at once under the plans instead kids will be phased back in with Year 6 pupils expected to go back first.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab warned on Tuesday that sending pupils back to school at the same time could fuel a second spike in coronavirus cases.
And the Scottish document backs up his fears as it states hospitals north of the border could be overwhelmed with Covid-19 admissions within weeks if all schools reopened.
Mr Raab told the Downing Street press conference: “The one thing I can say with confidence is at least today, the evidence has been that we wouldn't be able to open up all schools, without a very real risk that the transmission rate would rise at such a level that we would risk a second spike.
“But we've asked Sage for the options on this and will as ever be continued to be guided by the scientific advice we get."
Issuing a warning that life will not return to normal after the lockdown is eased, he said: “We will need to adjust to a new normal where we as a society adapt to safe new ways to work, to travel, to interact and to go about our daily lives.
“We have never experienced anything like this first stage of Covid-19 in terms of the scale of the lives lost but also the lockdown it has required.
“As we go forward we want to make sure that the next phase is more comfortable, is more sustainable and prevents lasting damage to jobs and livelihoods.”
The news comes as senior government science advisor resigned on Tuesday after breaking lockdown social distancing rules to meet his lover.
Professor Neil Ferguson sat on the government's SAGE committee, which provides advice to ministers on their response to the pandemic and told Mr Johnson a lockdown was the best way to tackle the killer virus.
He also sat on the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG).
The Government Office for Science confirmed he had 'stepped back' from both bodies.
Professor Ferguson, nicknamed "Professor Lockdown", is an infectious disease epidemiologist at Imperial College London,.
He said he believed he was immune to the virus, after self isolating with symptoms in March.
