CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE
Update : 19 January 2022
England to move back to Plan A
On 19th January 2022 Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced that the measures put in place under Plan B in England will be lifted.
This means:
- The UK Government is no longer asking people to work from home if they can. People should now talk to their employers to agree arrangements to return to the office.
- From 27 January: There is no longer a legal requirement to wear a face covering. The government suggests that people continue to wear a face covering in crowded and enclosed spaces where they may come into contact with other people they do not normally meet.
- From 27 January: Venues and events will no longer be required by law to check visitors’ NHS COVID Pass. The NHS COVID Pass can still be used on a voluntary basis.
- From 20 January: Face coverings will no longer be advised for staff and pupils in secondary school and college classrooms. Also from 27 January: Face coverings will no longer be advised for staff and pupils in communal areas of secondary schools, nor for staff in communal areas of primaries.
Some measures still remain, including those on self-isolation. It is still a legal requirement for those who have tested positive for Covid to self-isolate. The self-isolation regulations expire on 24 March; it is not expected that they will be renewed.
Ahead of 24 March the UK Government will set out its long-term strategy for living with COVID-19.
Further information on the changes will be available soon.
CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE
Update : 8th December 2021
This afternoon Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a press briefing announcing that England will be moving to plan B, while continuing to work closely with the Devolved Administrations. The measures announced include:
- The re-introduction of guidance for everyone who can to work from home. This will be introduced from Monday 13 December.
- From Friday 10 December, face coverings will become compulsory in most public indoor venues, such as cinemas, theatres and places of worship. There will be exemptions in venues where it is not practical to wear one, such as when you are eating, drinking or exercising. For that reason, face masks will not be required in hospitality settings.
- From Wednesday 15 December (subject to parliamentary approval) the NHS Covid Pass on the NHS App will become mandatory for entry into nightclubs and settings where large crowds gather, including:
- Unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people
- Unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people
- Any venue with more than 10,000 people.
The NHS Covid Pass can still be obtained with two doses but will be kept under constant review as the boosters roll out. Having considered the evidence since the emergence of Omicron, proof of a negative lateral flow test will also be accepted.
The Prime Minister also outlined as Omicron spreads in the community daily tests for contacts will be introduced instead of isolation. People are being advised to test using a lateral flow device, particularly before entering a high-risk setting involving people they wouldn't normally come into contact with, or when visiting a vulnerable person. Lateral flow devices remain free of charge and can be collected from local pharmacies.
The government will keep the data under constant review. The regulations are set to expire six weeks after implementation, with a review after three weeks. Guidance on GOV.UK will be updated to reflect these changes in the coming days.
See the press release and Plan B for more information
CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE
Update : 29th November 2021
On Saturday 27 November Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a press briefing where he confirmed new temporary and precautionary measures following the emergence of the Omicron variant in the UK. The following measures will be introduced from 4:00am Tuesday 30 November as a precaution to slow down the spread of the variant. The measures will be reviewed again in three weeks.
- From 04:00am on 30 November 2021 all travellers arriving into the UK must take a PCR test provided by a private test provider on or before day 2 and self-isolate until they receive a negative result (lateral flow tests will no longer be accepted). Individuals must self-isolate in their home or the place they are staying until they receive their test result. Those who test positive, must isolate for 10 days. If PCR test results are delayed, individuals must self-isolate until their test result is known or until day 14 after arrival, whichever is sooner.
- All contacts of suspected Omicron cases must self-isolate, regardless of their vaccination status. They will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
- From 4:00am Tuesday 30 November face coverings will be compulsory in England in shops and other settings such as banks, post offices and hairdressers, as well as on public transport unless individuals are exempt from doing so.
CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE
England moves to Step 4 from 19th July
While cases are high and rising, everybody needs to continue to act carefully and remain cautious. This is why we are keeping in place key protections at step 4 from 19 July:
- testing when you have symptoms and targeted asymptomatic testing in education, high risk workplaces and to help people manage their personal risk.
- isolating when positive or when contacted by NHS Test and Trace.
- border quarantine: for all arriving from red list countries and for those people not fully vaccinated arriving from amber list countries.
- cautious guidance for individuals, businesses and the vulnerable whilst prevalence is high including:
- whilst Government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can, Government would expect and recommend a gradual return over the summer
- Government expects and recommends that people wear face coverings in crowded areas such as public transport;
- being outside or letting fresh air in
- minimising the number, proximity and duration of social contacts.
- encouraging and supporting businesses and large events to use the NHS Covid Pass in high risk settings. The Government will work with organisations where people are likely to be in close proximity to others outside their household to encourage the use of this. If sufficient measures are not taken to limit infection, the Government will consider mandating certification in certain venues at a later date.
Please check information on each of the services available directly before travelling, booking or making plans.
CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE
Changes from Monday 17th May 2021
From Monday 17th May 2021 further restrictions are lifted in line with Step 3 of the roadmap to recovery.
(For Step 2 restrictions lifted from 12th April 2021 please read on below).
Coronavirus remains a serious threat across the country and restrictions remain across England.
When travelling within the UK, you should aim to do so safely and plan your journey in advance.
You should get a test and follow the stay at home guidance if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
Find out details of what you can and cannot do on Gov.uk website.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
In summary, from Monday 17th May 2021:
- Indoor entertainment and attractions such as cinemas, theatres, concert halls, bowling alleys, casinos, amusement arcades, museums and children’s indoor play areas will be permitted to open with COVID-secure measures in place.
- People will be able to attend indoor and outdoor events, including live performances, sporting events and business events. Attendance at these events will be capped according to venue type, and attendees should follow the COVID-secure measures set out by those venues.
- Indoor hospitality venues such as restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes can reopen.
- Organised indoor sport will be able to take place for all (this includes gym classes). This must be organised by a business, charity or public body and the organiser must take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of transmission.
- All holiday accommodation will be open (including hotels and B&Bs). This can be used by groups of up to 6 or 2 households (each household can include a support bubble, if eligible).
- Gathering limits will be eased. Outdoor gatherings will be limited to 30 people and indoor gatherings will be limited to 6 people or 2 households (each household can include a support bubble, if eligible).
- New guidance on meeting friends and family will emphasise personal responsibility rather than government rules. Instead of instructing you to stay 2m apart from anyone you don’t live with, you will be encouraged to exercise caution and consider the guidance on risks associated with COVID-19 and actions you can take to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Remember that the risks of close contact may be greater for some people than others and in some settings and circumstances, there will be specific guidance that you will need to follow even when you are with friends and family
For full details of what you can and cannot do please visit on Gov.uk website.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
Social distancing is still very important. You should stay 2 metres apart from anyone who is not in your household or support bubble where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings) if you cannot stay 2 metres apart.
For more information, rules and guidance to keep yourself and others safe, such as use of Face Coverings, Maintaining Social Distancing and Test and Trace during Step 3 please see Gov.uk website.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
You should follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times, including if you have been vaccinated against COVID-19.
You should follow this guidance in full to limit spreading COVID-19. It is underpinned by law.
Please check information on each of the services available directly before travelling, booking or making plans.
CORONAVIRUS GUIDANCE
Step 2 : Changes in effect from Monday 12th April 2021
Coronavirus remains a serious threat across the country and restrictions remain across England.
You should get a test and follow the stay at home guidance if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
Find out details of what you can and cannot do on Gov.uk website.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
In summary, from Monday 12th April 2021:
- Non-essential retail can reopen.
- Outdoor hospitality venues can reopen, with table service only.
- Most outdoor attractions including zoos, theme parks, and drive-in performances (such as cinemas and concerts) can reopen.
- Self-contained accommodation can stay open for overnight stays in England with your household or support bubble.
- Some smaller outdoor events such as fetes, literary fairs, and fairgrounds can take place.
- Indoor leisure and sports facilities can reopen for individual exercise, or exercise with your household or support bubble.
- Personal care services such as hairdressers and nail salons can reopen, including those provided from a mobile setting.
- Public buildings such as libraries and community centres can reopen
- All childcare and supervised activities are allowed indoors (as well as outdoors) for all children. Parent and child groups can take place indoors (as well as outdoors) for up to 15 people (children under 5 will not be counted in this number).
- Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies, wakes and other commemorative events can take place for up to 15 people (anyone working is not included in this limit), including in indoor venues that are permitted to open or where an exemption applies. Wedding receptions can also take place for up to 15 people, but must take place outdoors, not including private gardens.
- Care home residents will be able to nominate two named individuals for regular indoor visits (following a rapid lateral flow test).
- You should continue to work from home if you can and minimise the amount that you travel where possible.
For more information, rules and guidance to keep yourself and others safe, such as use of Face Coverings, Maintaining Social Distancing and Test and Trace during Step 2 please see Gov.uk website.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/covid-19-coronavirus-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
You must not socialise indoors with anyone you do not live with, unless you have formed a support bubble with them, or another exemption applies. You should continue to work from home if you can and minimise the number of journeys you make where possible. You should get a test and follow the stay at home guidance if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
Please check information on each of the services available directly before travelling, booking or making plans.