Covid: What's the roadmap for lifting lockdown?
- Published
Lockdown rules have eased in England, Scotland and Wales.
Pubs and restaurants are able to serve customers indoors, and social distancing guidelines have been relaxed.
But the government has warned outbreaks connected to the Indian variant of Covid could delay the next stage of easing restrictions, currently expected in June.
How has lockdown changed in England?
Meeting up
Social distancing guidance is also changing. Contact with close family and friends is described as a matter of personal judgement, but people are asked to remain cautious around close contact, like hugging.
Leisure and entertainment
Education
- Face coverings no longer recommended for pupils in secondary schools
- All remaining university students eligible to return to in-person teaching
Travel
From 21 June it's hoped:
- All legal limits on social contact will be removed
- Nightclubs will be allowed to reopen
However, the government has warned that outbreaks of the India variant could disrupt further easing, and "make it more difficult to move to step four in June".
How is lockdown changing in Scotland on 17 May?
Most of mainland Scotland has moved to level two restrictions with the exception of Moray and Glasgow, where infection rates remain high.
Family and friends:
- Up to six people from no more than three households can socialise indoors in a private home
- You do not need to physically distance from family and friends in a private home
- Up to six people from three households can meet in an indoor public place (such as a bar)
- Up to eight people from eight households can meet anywhere outdoors
- Children under the age of 12 are not included in the total number of people - but they are counted in the limit on the number of different households
Leisure:
Scottish islands - apart from Skye - will be moving to level one restrictions on 17 May (it's hoped the rest of Scotland will follow on 7 June).
These are:
- Up to eight people from three households to socialise indoors in a public place
- A maximum of 12 people from 12 households to socialise outdoors
- Hospitality can remain open until 23:00
- A maximum of 100 people at weddings, funerals and other life events
The city of Glasgow and the area of Moray remain under level three restrictions:
- Only essential travel is allowed in and out of these areas
- Cafes, pubs and restaurants can open indoors until 20:00 each day for groups of up to six people from two households - no alcohol can be served
- Non-essential informal childcare can operate
- Non-essential work can take place inside people's homes
- Up to 50 people can attend funerals and wakes
What rules are changing in Wales on 17 May?
- Pubs, cafes, bars and restaurants can reopen for indoor service
- Customers can meet in groups of up to six people from six households (children under 11 not counted towards the total)
- All holiday accommodation can reopen fully
- Entertainment venues, including cinemas, bingo halls, indoor-play centres and theatres can re-open
- Indoor visitor attractions, including museums and galleries, can reopen
- Up to 30 people can take part in organised indoor activities and events, rising to 50 outdoors
- International travel can resume, in line with the traffic light system adopted by England and Scotland - although the government advises against non-essential trips abroad
Indoor socialising in private homes is still restricted to extended households, where two households can mix with each other (and no one else).
The government says that if conditions remain positive, its next review will consider:
- Further changes to meeting people in private homes
- Increasing the number of people who can meet outdoors
- Increasing the numbers allowed at organised activities and events
- Permitting larger-scale events to take place indoors and outdoors
How are lockdown rules changing in Northern Ireland?
More restrictions will be lifted on 24 May, including:
- Up to six people from two households allowed to meet in private homes (children under 12 not counted towards total) - overnight stays allowed
- Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants allowed to open indoors
- Maximum of six customers per table from up to six households, or up to 10 people all from the same household
- Schools to be allowed to play sports fixtures against each other
- Libraries and museums allowed to reopen
- "Stay local" message will be removed
- Indoor sports training allowed to resume for sports squads
- Wedding receptions and post-funeral events allowed
- Non-essential travel to be allowed to the rest of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
What can you do already across the UK?
There are some things you can do anywhere - although exact rules may differ between nations:
Clarification: An earlier version of this piece said that exercise was only allowed once a day. However, while government guidance said this was what people should do, it did not make exercising more than once against the law.