Announced last night in a television address to the nation, the Prime Minister announced a 3rd national lockdown for England. The announcement comes after a surge in cases and the worry that the NHS may become overwhelmed from the increase in positive results.
Primary and secondary schools will also close and move to remote learning except for vulnerable and keyworker children. All non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues should close.
There are a limited number of reasons to leave your home, they include;
- Work or volunteering where it is “unreasonable” to work at home,
- Education, training, childcare and medical appointments
- Outdoor Exercise (once per day) this includes meeting one other person from another household in an open space to exercise
- Shopping for essentials
- Communal religion worship
- Meeting your childcare or support bubble
- Activities related to moving house
Clinically vulnerable people have been asked to limit the time they spend outside the home. They should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if essential. The government has said these people should not leave for work or education purposes.
Essential businesses and services can stay open to the public. These include:
- Supermarkets, food shops, pharmacies and garden centres
- Places of worship
- Petrol stations and MOT services
- Laundrettes
- Banks and post offices
- Doctors and dentists’ surgeries and vets
- Car parks, public toilets and playgrounds
Commenting on the reintroduction of national lockdown measures, Sharon Smith CEO of the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce, commented:
“The news of an immediate return to conditions of the first lockdown in March 2020 will of course be a huge blow to businesses across Herefordshire & Worcestershire.
“With a stalled Christmas period and an uncertain future combine with uncertainty around the Brexit transition phase, businesses desperately need clarity and a glimpse of the strategy going forward. These restrictions should also come hand in hand with the appropriate level of support.
“Schemes such as the Job Retention Scheme has saved many firms and jobs so far, however, the current package will not be sufficient to compensate the severe ongoing impact of the pandemic.
“If the government fail to provide businesses with the support, they need to weather the storm, we could expect to see a return to the record-low figures witnessed as a result of the first nationwide lockdown, of which the economy is still feeling the effect of.
“The government’s focus should be more longer-term, providing a comprehensive support package for businesses that will not simply see them through a short period but will provide the assurance they need to continue to operate and contribute to the recovery effort.
“Failure to provide this support will see an increase in business closures and job losses, wasting the investment made by the government already. The Chamber urges Westminster to carefully weigh up their options and consider that supporting businesses now will prove beneficial in the future. The need for greater economic support from the government for businesses across Herefordshire and Worcestershire remains one of the key priorities of the Chamber.”
BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“Businesses will understand why the Prime Minister has felt compelled to act on the spiralling threat to public health, but they will be baffled and disappointed by the fact that he did not announce additional support for affected businesses alongside these new restrictions.
“The lockdowns announced in England and Scotland today are a body blow to our business communities, hard on the heels of lost trade during the festive season and uncertainty linked to the end of the Brexit transition period. Tens of thousands of firms are already in a precarious position, and now face a period of further hardship and difficulty.
“Billions have already been spent helping good firms to survive this unprecedented crisis and to save jobs. These businesses must not be allowed to fail now, when the vaccine rollout provides light at the end of this long tunnel. The financial support for businesses needs to be stepped up in line with the devastating restrictions being placed on them. Otherwise, many of these firms may simply not be there to power our recovery when we emerge once again.
“Enhanced support for businesses, a turbo-charged vaccine rollout, and delivery of existing promises on mass testing must be delivered to enable the UK to restart, rebuild and renew.”
Useful Links
- To find out what financial support your business can access, click here.
- For the latest coronavirus business support, visit our Hub here.
- For weekly updates, support and resources just for businesses, sign up to our Coronavirus Business Support Newsletter here.
- Check how many cases there are in your area here.
Source: BBC.co.uk