Boris Johnson has announced an easing of lockdown restrictions across England, to take effect from July 4. Here are the key points:
– Social distancing
The two-metre social distancing rule can now be relaxed and replaced with a “one metre plus” rule.
This involves keeping one metre apart, plus other mitigations such as wearing face coverings, sitting people side to side rather than face to face to reduce transmission, and increased use of hand sanitiser.
– Indoor gatherings
Indoor gatherings of any two households will now be allowed. People will be able to visit someone’s house for a dinner party, for example, or to stay over with grandparents as long as social distancing is observed.
– Reopening businesses
Many venues and businesses will be allowed to reopen, as long as they are “Covid-secure”, for example by maintaining social distancing.
These include hotels, hostels, bed and breakfast accommodation, holiday apartments or homes, cottages or bungalows, campsites, caravan parks or boarding houses. Shared facilities must be kept very clean.
Restaurants, cafes, workplace canteens, bars, pubs and cinemas can reopen, as can places of worship, libraries, community centres and bingo halls.
Theatres and concert halls can reopen but not for live performances.
Museums and galleries, hair salons and barbers can reopen.
Outdoor playgrounds, outdoor gyms, funfairs, theme parks and adventure parks and activities can reopen.
Amusement arcades, outdoor skating rinks, indoor leisure centres or facilities – including indoor games and recreation – can also open up.
Social clubs, model villages and indoor attractions at aquariums, zoos, safari parks, farms, wildlife centres, and any place where animals are exhibited to the public as an attraction, can reopen.
– Some venues must stay shut
But some venues must stay shut, including nightclubs, casinos, bowling alleys, indoor skating rinks, and indoor play areas including softplay.
Spas, nail bars and beauty salons must also stay closed for now, as must massage, tattoo and piercing parlours.
Indoor fitness and dance studios, and indoor gyms and sport venues, must stay closed.
Swimming pools and water parks will stay closed.
Exhibition or conference centres that are to be used for exhibitions or conferences must also stay closed.
