Source: BBC News
Gyms and non-essential shops in all parts of England will be allowed to reopen when lockdown ends next month, the prime minister has announced.
Boris Johnson told the Commons that the three-tiered regional measures will return from 2 December, but he added that each tier will be toughened.
Spectators will be allowed to return to some sporting events, and weddings and collective worship will resume.
Regions will not find out which tier they are in until Thursday.
The allocation of tiers will be dependent on a number of factors, including each area’s case numbers, the reproduction rate – or R number – and the current and projected pressure on the NHS locally.
Tier allocations will be reviewed every 14 days, and the regional approach will last until March.
The PM, who is self-isolating after meeting an MP who later tested positive for coronavirus, told MPs via video link he expected “more regions will fall – at least temporarily – into higher levels than before”.
He said he was “very sorry” for the “hardship” that such restrictions would cause business owners.
Speaking later at a Downing Street briefing, Mr Johnson added that “things will look and feel very different” after Easter, with a vaccine and mass testing.
He warned the months ahead “will be hard, they will be cold” – but added that with a “favourable wind” the majority of people most in need of a vaccination might be able to get one by Easter.
Until then, the PM said, there would be a three-pronged approach of “tough tiering, mass community testing, and [the] roll-out of vaccines”.
What do the new tiers look like?
There are some notable changes to the tier rules. For a full breakdown, read the complete guidance here
Describing how the tiers had become tougher, the PM said:
- In tier one, people should continue to work from home where possible
- In tier two, only pubs serving substantial meals can serve alcohol
- In tier three, hospitality will close except for delivery and takeaway, and indoor entertainment venues must also close.
Where pubs and restaurants are allowed to open, last orders will now be at 10pm, with drinkers allowed a further hour to finish their drinks.
Indoor performances – such as those at the theatre – will also return in the lower two tiers, although with reduced capacity.
In terms of households mixing, in tier one a maximum of six people can meet indoors or outdoors; in tier two, there is no mixing of households indoors, and a maximum of six people can meet outdoors; and in tier three – the toughest tier – household mixing is not allowed indoors, or in most outdoor places.
In all tiers, exceptions apply for support bubbles. From 2 December, parents with babies under the age of one can form a support bubble with another household.
No ‘Christmas truce’
Mr Johnson said the tiers would now be a uniform set of rules, with no negotiations on additional measures for any particular region.
Measures in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland continue to be decided by the devolved administrations, but a joint approach to Christmas, involving all four nations, will be set out later in the week.
The prime minister said: “I can’t say that Christmas will be normal this year, but in a period of adversity time spent with loved ones is even more precious for people of all faiths and none.
“We all want some kind of Christmas; we need it; we certainly feel we deserve it.
“But this virus obviously is not going to grant a Christmas truce… and families will need to make a careful judgement about the risks of visiting elderly relatives.”
Christmas plans still being thrashed out
We’re expecting restrictions to be eased over Christmas, but discussions between ministers in the four nations are continuing over very practical concerns – the length of any relaxation, the impact on public transport, and what exactly constitutes a “household”. Overall, the tone has been cautious – the PM called it the season to be “jolly careful”. On Monday, he announced the new “toughened” tier system for England – the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg says the real political test will come on Thursday when it becomes clear how many regions are in the highest level.
Cut quarantine – for a price
Travellers who arrive in England from high-risk countries will soon be able to reduce their quarantine period by more than half if they pay for a Covid test after five days – and of course, if that test is negative. The new system will begin on 15 December and will cost between £65 and £120 per person. The travel industry welcomed the policy but described it as long overdue. The transport secretary said it would allow people to see loved ones and give a boost to business. Read more on the current quarantine rules.
Commenting on the return to the tiered system after lockdown, Sharon Smith, Chief Executive, said:
“The government have today released their plans of a return to a revised tiered system post December 2, when England comes out of its second national lockdown. To avoid confusion the government should be relaying clear and easy to understand messaging on what exactly can and can’t be done in each tier.
All non-essential shops, hairdressers and gyms will reopen regardless of the tier they are placed under however pubs, bars and restaurants must wait until Thursday to see if they will be able to operate fully, provide a reduced service or close all together.
Government should consider which areas are placed under higher restrictions carefully. The data and evidence must support this decision and areas where hospitality businesses are placed under the highest restrictions, specific geographical support should be considered.”
“It is helpful that the Prime Minister has heeded our call to give businesses at least a week’s notice of the rule changes that will affect firms across England from December 2nd.
“Businesses across England now need to see the detail – and will judge the latest set of Covid rules on whether they are easy to understand and based on clear, transparently-presented evidence.
“They need to know that the new rules will be accompanied by commensurate support, by a significant expansion of mass testing, particularly to workplaces across the country, and by a plan to get the economy fully open again.
“The reduction of time in quarantine for international passengers will help to re-establish connections to key markets and trade partners across the world, helping businesses that depend on the UK’s connectivity and preserving industries and livelihoods.
“Ministers can’t simply keep switching businesses on and off like a light switch without expecting severe consequences. Covid-secure businesses will be looking to the government for a plan that keeps them, and the economy, open throughout winter and beyond.”
Useful Links
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- To find out what tier your area is in, click here
- To find out what you can and can’t do in each tier, click here
- 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.