Coronavirus lockdown: What you can do from this weekend after changes across UK

Lockdown restrictions are continuing to ease across the UK as the number of coronavirus infections drops.

However, England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ slightly from each other in terms of coronavirus measures.

ENGLAND

Adults living alone, or single parents with children under 18, can now spend the night at another household and create a “support bubble“.

This is an attempt to make lockdown more bearable for those who have been cut off from friends and family since 23 March.

The relaxation does not apply to vulnerable people who are shielding.

From Monday:

• Non-essential shops can reopen under conditions that they adhere to social distancing measures. The types of shops that can open their doors include food retailers, clothing stores, charity shops and hardware home shops
• Zoos and safari parks can reopen, but attractions will not be allowed to reopen indoor exhibitions such as reptile houses. They must also ensure amenities including cafes are takeaway only
• Secondary schools can start reopening, with pupils in Year 10 and 12 able to get some face-to-face time with teachers before the summer holidays
• Face coverings will be mandatory on public transport
• Churches and other places of worship will be open for private prayer where people can “reflect and pray” while adhering to social distancing rules

Last month, Boris Johnson gave an update on what restrictions would be lifted from 1 June, which included people gathering in groups of up to six people in public or private outdoor spaces and dental surgeries opening from 8 June.

You still cannot exercise in an indoor sports court, gym or leisure centre, or go swimming in a public pool.

Outdoor gyms and playgrounds are still off-limits, and you cannot share a private vehicle with someone from another household.

People are also not allowed to invite anyone other than close family or friends, and someone from the deceased’s household, to a funeral.

July

• Restaurants and hotels: 4 July is the earliest point at which “some of the hospitality industry and other public places” could reopen, the PM said, but only if “they are safe and enforce social distancing”
• Hairdressers: Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab told Sky News that salons and barbers will not reopen until 4 July “at the very earliest”

Advice for over-70s:

Those over 70 should continue to take particular care to minimise contact with others outside their household.

If they do go out, they should be careful to maintain distance from others and should comply with social distancing rules.

Anyone who has been advised to shield by the NHS or their GP, including those 70 and over, should continue to do this until at least the end of June.

SCOTLAND

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said this week she is “optimistic” that Scotland’s restrictions could be eased further on 18 June following a “steady decline” in the death rate.

She said Scotland’s lockdown would be relaxed in a four-phase “route map”.

What you can do now:

• Up to eight people from two households may gather outdoors, as long as people are social distancing
• People are able to sit and sunbathe outdoors
• Visits inside another household are not allowed
• Non-contact sports like golf, fishing, bowls, outdoor swimming, canoeing and tennis are allowed
• People are able to travel – preferably walk or cycle – to carry out activities, but they should try to stay close to home
• Recycling and waste services resume
• Outdoor industries like agriculture and construction resume
• Garden centres are allowed to open – but none of their cafes
• Some services like social work resume
• Some parts of the criminal justice system resume

Scotland will move into phase two, possibly later this month, when the virus is considered “controlled” and the R number is consistently below 1.

As part of its four-phase “route map”, lockdown measures to be relaxed in the future in Scotland include:

• Teachers to return to work in June to prepare for schools reopening in new school year in August
• Support for children going into primary one or moving from primary to secondary school
• More children, not just of key workers, to have access to critical childcare, particularly outdoor nurseries
• Housing market to reopen
• Gradual reopening of takeaway and drive-thru food outlets

In phase two:

• Meet outside with larger groups of friends and family, with social distancing
• Meet people from another households indoors with social distancing
• Increased public transport capacity with peak time travel discouraged
• University lab research to restart
• Indoor non-office-based workplaces, such as factories and labs, can resume once guidance is agreed
• People can move house
• Small shops, outdoor markets, pubs and restaurants with outdoor space, and places of worships can open – with marriages and civil partnerships allowed with limited attendees
• Scotland’s sports minister has said professional football, rugby and horse racing will return behind closed doors during phase two of the easing of lockdown restrictions, however a date has not been set

:: Listen to the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Phase three:

• Closer to normal with different households meeting – although with social distancing
• Schools to reopen on 11 August but with a “blended model” of school and home learning
• Childcare providers, larger shops, indoor pubs and restaurants, hairdressers, museums, cinemas, gyms and hotels can reopen
• Live events with restricted numbers and funerals beyond close family
• Dentists to fully reopen

Phase four:

• Relaxation of all restrictions “in line with public health advice”

WALES

People are currently only allowed to meet members from one other household while outdoors and are urged not to travel further than five miles for leisure.

The next lockdown review is due to take place on 18 June.

What you can do now:

• People from two different households in the same local area can meet up outdoors, but they must continue to maintain social distancing and strict hand hygiene
• They must also stay local, meaning they mustn’t – as a general rule – travel more than five miles from home
• Exceptions will be people travelling to work, to seek care or shopping for essentials if they aren’t available locally
• Vulnerable people who have been “shielding” from the virus have been advised they can exercise at times that are not too busy

People could already:

• Carry out unlimited exercise outdoors but must “stay local”, starting and ending at home and only with people from their household – with a quick break to eat something
• Garden centres can reopen
• Recycling centres and libraries can open

NORTHERN IRELAND

The Northern Ireland Executive has a “pathway to recovery” route map for easing the lockdown and some rules – within steps one and two of the five-stage plan – have been relaxed as the R number is currently estimated as being between 0.5 and 0.9.

First Minister Arlene Foster said that people living alone will now be able to stay at one household in a so-called “support bubble”. There is no social distancing restriction attached and people can stay overnight if they wish.

But the relaxation does not apply to individuals who are shielding.

All non-essential shops, with a range of new hygiene and social distancing measures, were allowed to reopen on Friday.

What you can do now:

• Groups of up to 10 people who do not share a household are allowed to meet outdoors two metres apart
• Garden and recycling centres have reopened
• Places of worship are open for private prayer, while drive-in church services and cinemas are allowed
• Non-contact outdoor activities are allowed, including fishing, golf, tennis and some water sports
• No restrictions on private travel, as long as it is in Northern Ireland
• Use face coverings if you cannot social distance
• Non-food retail outlets and some libraries are allowed to open

Step three:

• Phased return to office working but those who can should work from home
• Gatherings of up to 30 people – with social distancing
• Part-time schooling for priority groups, with in-school and remote learning
• Museums, galleries, libraries to reopen
• Concert and theatre rehearsals to resume

Step four:

• All “contact” retail such as hairdressers, gyms and salons can open after a risk assessment
• All school pupils go back on a part-time basis, with in-school and remote learning
• Staggering demand for public transport
• Wider range of gatherings allowed, including church services – subject to social distancing
• Competitive sport to resume behind closed doors, or with spectator limits
• Leisure centres to open
• Outdoor concerts allowed on a restricted basis

Step five:

• Early-year schooling goes to full-time
• Restaurants, pubs and cafes can open after a risk assessment, initially on a limited basis
• Close physical contact sport allowed and return to full spectator competitive sport and live events
• People can meet in large groups subject to social distancing

(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus lockdown: What you can do from this weekend after changes across UK