As of today, Monday March 29, people in England can meet outdoors under the rule of six or two households as lockdown restrictions are eased.
It is the first stage of Prime Minister Boris Johnson's four-step roadmap to ending lockdown.
The easing of lockdown started on March 8 with the reopening of schools, with new stages scheduled every five weeks to allow Government's decision-making to be informed by data.
Today the restrictions are eased further, with the "stay at home" message officially ending.
The rule of six is also an important part of the rule changes today, as it allows for more social interaction between friends and family.
But what is the rule of six and two households and what will it mean for you and those deemed clinically extremely vulnerable?
Rule of six or two households
The rule of six from March 29 means that you can meet outside - including in private gardens - with another five people from different households in a socially distanced fashion.
Children of all ages are included in the count but in-work professional carers aren't, the BBC reports.
Alternatively, a household of any number can meet with another household in any outdoor setting.
This was introduced to allow families to see each other and means, for example, that any household of five people can meet with a household with the same headcount.
Social distancing
People should still ensure they maintain social distancing with people that are not from their household to help prevent the spread of Covid 19.
This means, for example, washing your hands before and after you meet up.
You should not kiss or hug anyone you don't live with and avoid face-to-face contact.
You should avoid shouting or singing right next to people outside your household as all the above facilitate the spread of infectious air droplets and increase the risk of spreading the bug.
Shielding
Nearly four million people have been advised to shield during the pandemic as they were deemed clinically extremely vulnerable.
But the government will as of March 31 advise that they no longer have to self-isolate as infection numbers keep dropping.
This means that those shielding will start following the same national guidelines as the rest of the population as of April 1.
They have nonetheless been sent letters telling them to take additional safety precautions, such as maintaining social distancing at all times and keep their social contacts "at low levels".
They are also advised to work from home where possible.
