Coronavirus (COVID-19) - information and precautions

@Alison74 How did your son's results come out? Hope he's feeling better!

Hello everyone,

As you all may know already, yesterday the Prime Minister shared a new four-step plan for easing restrictions across England as the vaccination programme continues and shows significant progress in decreasing the number of deaths caused by COVID-19 and slowing the spread of the virus.

Step 1:

• From 8 March:
  • Schools and colleges will be open for all students, certain university students on practical courses will be able to return to face-to-face learning
  • Wraparound childcare and other supervised children's activities can resume
  • Stay at Home requirements remain in place, but outdoor recreation such as coffee or picnics with their household, support bubble, or one person from outside their household may take place
  • Care home residents will be allowed one regular visitor as long as they are tested for COVID and wear PPE.
• From 29 March:
  • Outdoor gatherings of up to 6 people or 2 households will be permitted, including in private gardens.
  • Outdoor sports facilities will be allowed to reopen, organised outdoor sports may resume.
  • The Stay at Home order will be lifted, but many lockdown restrictions will remain.

Step 2:

• No earlier than 12 April:
  • Non-essential retail, personal care premises (such as hair and nail salons) and public buildings (including libraries and community centres) will reopen
  • Most outdoor attractions and settings (like zoos, theme parks) will reopen, though wider social contact rules will apply.
  • Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms and swimming pools will reopen for individuals on their own or with their household.
  • Hospitality venues will be able to serve people outdoors only.
  • Self-contained accommodation, such at holiday lets where indoor facilities are not shared by other housebolds, can reopen
  • Funerals can continue with up to 30 people and the numbers of people to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events will rise to 15 (from 6)

Step 3:

• No earlier than 17 May:
  • Most social contact rules will be lifted outdoors, though gatherings of more than 30 people will still be illegal.
  • Outdoor performances such as outdoor theatres and cinemas can reopen. Indoors, the 6 people or 2 households will apply.
  • Indoor hospitality and entertainment venues such as cinemas and soft play areas, the rest of the accomodation sector, and indoor adult group sports and exercise classes will also reopen

Step 4:

• No earlier than 21 June:
  • All legal limits on social contact will potentially be removed
  • Nightclubs will possibly be reopened and restrictions on large events and performances may be lifted

Advancement to each step will of course depend on the continuation of the vaccination programme, evidence proving that vaccines have reduced deaths and hospitalisations due to COVID, absence of surges in hospital admissions and that the new COVID variants do not pose risk enough to prevent lifting restrictions.

What do you think of this proposed plan? Do you think that the vaccination programme is going quick enough to allow for the easing of the various restrictions at the proposed times? Do you feel encouraged by this news?

Feel free to share your thoughts and questions here!

Take care,
Courtney

@Courtney_J‍ ... Thank you for all details regarding the four-step plan easing restrictions that the Prime Minister has set out.

Due to my living in Northern Ireland, I'll wait to hear our plans for the lifting of lockdown, which will probably be very similar. I am happy to stay in lockdown until I've had my 2nd vaccination, but will obviously follow rules as per normal until things are safer and have been laid out properly on the table.  

@philantropist  he had glandular fever took over a week for him to be diagnosed his only just got over it thanks for asking