G7 Leaders Accused Of Breaking Social Distancing, Other Covid-19 Rules At Cornwall

The 44th G7 Summit—which saw a volley of world leaders in attendance—is making news for more reasons than one. The official event, held on Friday in Cornwall, evoked global fury after netizens learned that the delegates didn’t really adhere to Covid-19 social distancing norms. The Summit also recorded two viral outbreaks, despite the reportedly strict protocol.

While the leaders initially released an official shot that shows the group complying with the precautionary rules of the global health crisis, a few leaked snaps on social media revealed how things were a lot relaxed otherwise, as guests hobnobbed with each other over a beach barbecue on Saturday. Sirloin steak and lobster were part of the menu, while a popular sea shanty group and a Red Arrows flypast were part of the arrangements at the Summit, in which leaders agreed to challenge China’s non-market economic practices and call out Beijing for rights abuses in Xinjiang and Hong Kong, according to Outlook.

Livid at the ‘double standards’, a volley of Twitterati sided with ITV's Robert Peston who shared two photos of mask-less leaders chatting in close proximity on the beach, as reported in Daily Mail. One of the snaps showed Biden's hand on Johnson's shoulder during an 80-minute meeting in Carbis Bay.

However, Foreign secretary Dominic Raab was quick to refute the claims on Sky News on Sunday and insisted that ‘there was social distancing’ at the event. Interviewer Trevor Phillips argued that the snaps weren’t convincing enough although the PM’s spokesperson averred that the ‘only 30 guests’ rule was complied with.

Raab further enthused that there were always different regulations pertaining to social gatherings. “The event last night was done in an entirely Covid-secure way within the existing rules,” he said, adding how all the attendees underwent a daily testing regime for the event that was held outside. “This was an informal gathering of the G7 leaders and rightly it is held in private ... but you can see it was a relaxed atmosphere and gave the leaders a chance to discuss outside of a formal setting,” Raab said.

As per the norms laid down by the UK Government, guidelines allow hugging and close contact between friends and family but demand social distancing to be maintained in other situations including the workplace. And one can give the mask a miss while outdoors.