We’re well into Lockdown 2 now, and while the rules may not appear as stringent as they were in the first round, there’s still a lot we need to know and be aware of.
The BBC has put together a great summary, based on official government guidelines, which we thought we’d re-share.
Staying at home and seeing people
- You should stay at home except for education, work (if it can’t be done from home), exercise, medical reasons, shopping for essentials, or to care for others
- Households must not mix with others indoors, or in private gardens
- You can meet one person from outside your household in an outdoors public space. Children under five don’t count
- Support bubbles for people who live alone and single parent households can continue
- Support groups of 15 or fewer people are allowed, including those for new parents or people recovering from addictions
- Children can move between homes if parents are separated
- Informal childcare support bubbles for children aged 13 or under can continue
- It is possible to visit friends and family in care homes as long as Covid-secure measures are in place, such as the use of floor-to-ceiling screens, visiting pods, and arranging outdoor or window visits
Going to work or school
- Schools, nurseries, colleges and universities will remain open
- Staff and pupils at secondary schools (Year 7 and above) must wear face coverings in communal areas outside the classroom
- Childminders and nannies can continue to provide childcare, including in people’s homes
- Students who live at university must not return to their permanent home until the end of term
- Workplaces can stay open if people cannot work from home – including construction and manufacturing
- Those who are clinically vulnerable are advised not to go to work if they can’t work from home
Exercise
- You can take outdoor exercise on your own, or with members of your household or support bubble, or with one other person from outside your household
- As long as you follow the rules above, you can exercise outside as much as you want
- Outdoor playgrounds can remain open
- All leisure and sports centres and gyms, swimming pools, tennis and basketball courts, golf courses, fitness and dance studios, climbing walls, archery, driving, and shooting ranges must close
- Elite sport can carry on behind closed doors
- Grassroots team sports are not allowed
What about shops, pubs and other venues?
- All pubs and restaurants must close (takeaways and deliveries can continue)
- All non-essential shops must close (click-and-collect services and deliveries can continue)
- All personal care facilities must close, including hair, beauty, tanning and nail salons, tattoo and massage parlours, and those offering body and skin piercing. Staff cannot offer these services in people’s homes
- Supermarkets, food shops, off-licences, petrol stations and pharmacies can remain open
- Bike shops, hardware stores, dry cleaners, banks, post offices, garden centres and pet shops can also remain open
- Motorway services stations can remain open
- Waste and recycling centres can remain open
- Medical services can continue, including dentist and optician appointments
- Libraries can remain open for click-and-collect services, and to allow IT access
What about worship, weddings and funerals?
- Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies will not be allowed, apart from in exceptional circumstances
- Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people. Linked ceremonial events such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 15 people
- Apart from funerals, places of worship will only be open to allow individual prayer or services to be broadcast to the congregation
Can I still move house?
- You can still visit potential properties, purchase a new property and move into a new property during this time
- You can stay in a hotel overnight if necessary
- Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work
- People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless it is absolutely essential, and you should wear a mask and maintain social distancing wherever possible
