Millions of Londoners will face tighter restrictions from Saturday as the capital moves from Tier 1 to Tier 2 starting at midnight tonight.
Ministers were briefed on the new measures this morning after the number of coronavirus cases rose sharply across the capital.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock later confirmed that Essex will arrive in London on high alert in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The new restrictions mean the following for you:
Can I still go to my friend’s house?
No. Households are no longer allowed to mix indoors after midnight tonight.
That means you can only meet with your bladder inside. ie someone you already live with.
The rule of six still applies to outdoor and private garden meetings, which means Bonfire Night is still scheduled for you and five other friends.
Can I go to my partner’s house?
The rules are a bit murky in this regard. Technically, your bubble should only contain people you already live with, unless you are a household with just one adult who has formed a support bubble with a separate household living on-site.
In other words, if either you or your partner live alone and have formed a support bubble with each other, you are fine. If you both live in house shares, you are not allowed to see each other under the new rules.
If you are a single parent and have a child under the age of 18, you can create a support bubble with a household other than the child’s other parent.
Otherwise, indoor social interactions between households will be banned under the applicable rules starting tonight.
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Can I still go to the pub with my friends?
Yes and no.
The ban on indoor mixing between households extends to pubs, bars and restaurants. That means you can’t have a beer or a meal with your friends when you sit inside.
Since different households are still allowed to meet outside, provided they adhere to the rule of six, you can still dine outside with your friends or go to the beer gardens. Wrap up warm.
Should i still go to work?
Government regulations should work from home for “at least six months” whenever possible.
However, if you go to work, the household mixing ban does not apply when you are in the office.
As part of Tier 2 restrictions, people are advised to reduce the number of trips they make if possible. This means that getting into work can be a little more difficult.
If you need to travel, try walking or cycling, or plan ahead, avoiding busy times and public transit routes.
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Can I still go to the gym?
Yes. Indoor sports and exercise courses can still take place, provided the rule of six is observed. Health centers also remain open.
You can still visit galleries, museums, and cinemas as long as you don’t mix between households (Getty Images).
Can I still go to shops / museums / cinemas?
Yes. All shops remain open, while museums and galleries advise you to book in advance for a certain period of time. Cinemas (if they haven’t closed for the foreseeable future) will stay open.
Since indoor mixing between households is prohibited below Tier 2, you can only shop / see / eat popcorn with members of your own household or a support bubble on the Gaugin. No hinge dated to see this new Greta documentary.
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Can I still visit my parents?
No. You can only visit your parents if you already live with them or if you meet in the garden for a cup of tea.
Nursing homes are now closed to external visitors, except in exceptional cases.
Otherwise, the same rules apply for meetings in public places – no meals / drinks with your parents inside, but you are fine outside.
Ministers are due to discuss easing the rules for Christmas in the hope that the new animal system will stem the current surge in infections in time for your turkey lunch.
What if I break the rules?
Meetings with people from another household indoors (except in your support bubble or with certain exceptions listed below) are illegal after midnight tonight.
The police can take action if you meet in groups of more than six people or with people outside your household.
This includes breaking up illegal gatherings and imposing fines.
You can be fined £ 200 for the first offense which doubles to a maximum of £ 6,400 for further offenses. If you hold or are involved in an illegal gathering of over 30 people, the police can impose a fine of £ 10,000.
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What are the exceptions?
Some people are exempt from the ban on indoor gatherings between households even if they:
- In a legally permissible support bubble
- For work, volunteer voluntary, or community service
- For registered child care, education or training
- For potential adoptive parents to meet a child or children who can be placed with them
- For supervised activities for children, including all-round care (before and after school), youth groups and activities, and children’s play groups
- For birth partners
- To see someone dying
- Provide emergency aid, avoid injury or illness, or avoid the risk of injury
- To fulfill a legal obligation, e.g. B. to participate in the court or on the jury
- Care or support for vulnerable people
- To make a move easier
- For a wedding or equivalent ceremony and wedding receptions where the organizer has carried out a risk assessment and taken all reasonable measures to limit the risk of transmitting the virus – up to a maximum of 15 people (not in private homes)
- For funerals – a maximum of 30 people. Guards and other memorial events are permitted with up to 15 people present (not in private apartments)
- For top athletes and their coaches, if required for competition and training, and for parents or guardians if they are a child
- For outdoor exercises and dance classes, organized outdoor sports and licensed outdoor activities
- Indoor organized team sports for disabled people and youth sports
- Self-help groups with up to 15 participants – formally organized groups for mutual support, therapy or other support (not in private apartments)
- Protests – if organized in accordance with the guidelines backed by Covid
