The government is expected to announce details of their lockdown exit plan on Sunday, meaning Brits will finally get an idea what an end to restrictions might look like.

The public should not expect the lockdown to end within the week, instead they will be given a clearer picture of the steps the government is aiming to take to get out of the current situation. Explaining the route out of the lockdown does not mean the government will take it immediately.

Even once restrictions are lifted we will be living with social distancing and the coronavirus for a long time, making it extremely important that the rules are clear and everyone knows what they can and cannot do.

The over 70s are particularly vulnerable to the virus and as such have some extra rules to follow, but there has been some confusion over what they are supposed to be doing after comments by health secretary Matt Hancock.

The cabinet minister was attacking a Sunday Times article as "factually wrong and misleading" for saying all over 70s were classed as "clinically vulnerable", only to be told the government's own website did indeed list all over 70s as clinically vulnerable regardless of medical condition.

Why are there discussions over the status of over 70s in lockdown and what are the actual rules people need to follow?

The Claim

There have been discussions over the future of Britain's over 70s in lockdown because there are suspicions that they could be asked to stay at home for much longer than the rest of the public.

The Daily Telegraph reports that leaked proposals are saying those considered to be most vulnerable to the coronavirus might need to be "shielded from normal life" for up to 18 months or until a vaccine is available.

Coming out of the lockdown will be a slow process and those who are considered safest to be out and about will be the first to enjoy more freedoms, meaning over 70s would be near the back of the queue when it comes to restrictions being lifted.

Professor Stephen Powis, NHS England's national medical director, said officials were studying whether the elderly would still need to live under strict measures when other groups were being granted more freedoms.

Groups such as AgeUK are concerned that over 70s will be left out when restrictions begin to be lifted, stuck at home in isolation while the rest of the public are able to reclaim some parts of normal life.

When the time comes to relax the lockdown there will need to be much care taken to protect people and avoid a second spike in cases with a particular view to shielding those most vulnerable to the coronavirus. That could mean over 70s are stuck indoors longer than everyone else.

The Counter Claim

However, the government has been warned they face "social unrest" if they try to keep over 70s indoors while everyone else is being gradually let out.

Baroness Ros Altmann, a Tory peer in the House of Lords, said it would be "age discrimination" to keep the elderly in isolation when other Brits are having their restrictions relaxed.

She said many people had contacted her to say they would ignore the government's instructions and were willing to "risk prison" to avoid being cooped up in their own homes for months on end.

The British Medical Association and the Royal College of GPs have recommended that the government relaxes restrictions for the healthy over 70s because the lockdown is having a negative impact on mental health.

The BMA agreed that it would be "discriminatory" to keep the elderly indoors for a long period of time without other health considerations taken into account, advising the government to consider individual health concerns more than age when determining who might need to stay indoors for longer.

The Facts

All over 70s in the UK are classed as "clinically vulnerable" and official government advice says they should "take particular care to minimise contact with others outside your household".

That does not mean they are being told to stay in their homes at all times, but they are advised to have as little contact with others as possible and should only be going out in essential situations.

Hancock himself said in March that the over 70s would be asked to stay at home”for their own protection” for several months, though the actual government policy ended up being slightly different to the health secretary's indication.

Under 70s with certain medical conditions are also classed as being clinically vulnerable. Those with asthma, COPD, diabetes, emphysema, heart disease or kidney disease should also follow the official advice to stay indoors as much as possible and avoid contact with others.

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There is a group which government rules say should not be leaving the house with the explicit intention of shielding them from the coronavirus, the "clinically extremely vulnerable" group.

Those with respiratory diseases, certain cancers and other conditions listed here do have to stay indoors at all times and are not allowed contact with other people.

Hancock was wrong to say not all over 70s were classed as being clinically vulnerable to the coronavirus, they are, but there is a distinction in the government guidelines between being clinically vulnerable and being clinically extremely vulnerable.

To clear up confusion people should follow the guidelines as they are written on the government's official website so they know what advice they should be following.