Today the government announced that three more boroughs are being taken out of local lockdown measures
Stockport, Trafford and Bolton join Wigan in obtaining more freedoms, after Covid-19 infection rates in the boroughs fell consistently.
Oldham meanwhile, remains subject to more stringent restrictions which prohibit households from mixing.
The situation has not changed for the other five Greater Manchester boroughs however.
It means Manchester, Salford, Bury, Tameside and Rochdale remain under the local lockdown restrictions that were introduced on July 31.
It means that people living in the five boroughs will still have to abide by the local lockdown rules that have been in place for almost a month.
This is what you can and cannot do, according to the government:
Social contact
Your household is only the people you live with, or people within your support bubble.
A support bubble is where a household with one adult joins with any other household. Households within a bubble can still visit each other, stay overnight, and visit public places together.
If you live in Manchester, Salford, Bury, Tameside and Rochdale you must not:
- Host people you do not live with in your home or garden, unless they’re in your support bubble
- Meet people you do not live with inside a private home or garden, except where you have formed a support bubble (or for other limited exemptions to be specified in law)
- Visit someone else’s home or garden even if they live outside of the affected areas
You should not:
- Socialise with people you do not live with in other indoor public venues – such as pubs, restaurants, cafes, shops, places of worship, community centres, leisure and entertainment venues, or visitor attractions.
- You may attend these venues with people you live with (or are in a support bubble with), but should avoid interaction with individuals or groups from other households. If you run such a business or organise events on their premises, you should take steps to ensure people do not interact with people they do not live with, in line with COVID-19 secure guidance
- Visit friends or family in care homes, other than in exceptional circumstances. Care homes should restrict visits to these circumstances
Read more of today's stories here
People can still come inside your home or garden for specific purposes set out in law:
- Where everyone in the gathering lives together or is in the same support bubble
- To attend a birth at the mother’s request
- To visit a person who is dying (the visitor can be someone the dying person lives with, a close family member, friend or, if none of those is visiting, anyone else)
- To fulfil a legal obligation
- For work purposes, or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services (see guidance on working safely in other people’s homes)
- For the purposes of education or training
- For the purposes of childcare provided by a registered provider
- To provide emergency assistance
- To enable one or more persons in the gathering to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm
- To facilitate a house move
- To provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person
- To continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children where the children do not live in the same household as their parents, or one of their parents.
Business and venue closures
These are the business that cannot yet open in the five boroughs
- Casinos
- Skating rinks
- Bowling alleys
- Indoor play areas, including soft play areas
- Exhibition centres and conference halls
The government advises that the following settings and activities should not reopen or restart
- Indoor performances (even with a social distanced audience)
- Close contact services, which are any treatments on the face such as eyebrow threading or make-up application
- Wedding receptions and celebrations
Can I meet people outdoors?
The government says you should only socialise in outside public places (like parks) in groups of up to six people from multiple households. Gatherings larger than six should only take place if everyone is exclusively from 2 households or support bubbles.
It says you should always socially distance from people outside of your household.
The police will be able to take action against those that gather in groups larger than 30 people, including asking people to disperse and issuing £100 fixed penalty notices.
There are some exceptions where you may be able to meet in larger groups.
Can I go to public places like restaurants, gyms or shops?
You can still visit public places like cafes, restaurants, gyms or shops.
The government says if you’re going to be indoors, you should only go with members of your own household.
This applies even if you are going to a public place outside of the restricted areas. You should socially distance from other households at all times – unless they are in your support bubble.
If you’re visiting outdoor areas of cafes, restaurants or pubs, you should only meet in groups of up to 2 households, or up to 6 people from multiple households.
It says you should avoid socialising with people from other households when you visit shops, leisure centres, cafes and any other indoor public places.
How do I arrange childcare?
You can continue to use registered childcare provision, including childminders and holiday childcare providers.
You can also continue to employ nannies.
Friends or family who do not live with you cannot visit your home to help with childcare unless they are part of your support bubble. The only people who can help you with childcare in your home are people you live with, people in your support bubble, or registered childcare providers including nannies.
You can still meet in outside public spaces (like parks) for childcare but you should only do so in groups of two households, or up to six people from multiple households.
Children of parents who are separated are allowed to move between households. The law includes an exemption to allow parents and children who are not part of the same household to continue an arrangement for access or contact to each other.
Can I go to work?
People living inside and outside of the affected boroughs can continue to travel in and out for work. Workplaces must implement COVID-19 secure guidance.
Can I go to religious ceremonies or places of worship?
The government says you may attend a mosque, church, synagogue, temple or other place or worship, but you should socially distance from people outside of your household. This means maintaining a distance of two metres, or one metre with mitigations (such as wearing face coverings).
If possible, prayer or religious services should take place outdoors.
Can I go to a wedding or funeral?
Weddings, civil partnerships and funerals can still go ahead in these areas, but they should have no more than 30 people, and comply with COVID-19 Secure guidance and venue capacity.
People living outside of these areas can travel to these areas to attend a wedding, civil partnership or funeral, but they must not meet with another household in a private home or garden.
Wedding celebrations should not currently take place in these areas – unless they are limited to people who live together (or are in the same support bubble), or a group of up to 6 people outdoors.
Can I travel in my area?
You should try not to share a car with those outside your household or social bubble.
Can I travel outside of my area?
You should not travel outside of your area to meet people other than those in your support bubble, in their homes or gardens, or indoor public places.
You can still go on holiday outside of your area, but you should only do this with people you live with (or have formed a support bubble with).
Can I visit friends or family in a care home?
You should not visit friends or family in care homes, other than in exceptional circumstances. Care homes should restrict visits to these circumstances.
Can I move home?
Estate and letting agents as well as removals firms can continue to work and people looking to move home can continue to undertake viewings.
The police will be able to take action against those that break these rules, including asking people to disperse and issuing fixed penalty notices starting at £100.
People aged 18 or over can be fined £100 for the first offence, lowered to £50 if paid within 14 days
£200 for the second offence, then doubling for each further offence up to a maximum of £3,200
