On November the 5th new national restrictions will come into place. Due to the continuing rise of coronavirus cases including here in South Derbyshire, it is regrettable but necessary that we now take action to bring down the transmission rate. It is necessary for us to regain control over this virus so as to protect the NHS and save lives.
This means that certain businesses will have to close, people must stay at home except for specific purposes and you must avoid meeting people not in your household. This will last until the 2nd of December. These new restrictions differ from previously as schools, colleges and universities will remain open and many who cannot work from home continue to do so.
We ask that you stay at home except for specific purposes this includes:
- You can leave home for work purposes, or to provide voluntary or charitable services, where you cannot do this from home.
- You can leave home to buy things at shops which are open, for instance for food and medicine, or to collect any items - including food or drink - ordered through click-and-collect or as a takeaway, to obtain or deposit money, or to access critical public services.
- You may also leave home to fulfil legal obligations, or to carry out activities related to buying, selling, letting or renting a property.
- You can leave home for education (formal provision, rather than extracurricular classes such as music or drama tuition), training, registered childcare and children’s activities that are necessary to allow parents/carers to work, seek work, or undertake education or training. Parents can still take their children to school, and people can continue existing arrangements for contact between parents and children where they live apart.
- You can leave home to visit people in your support bubble, or to provide informal childcare for children 13 and under as part of a childcare bubble, to provide care for vulnerable people, to provide emergency assistance, attend a support group (of up to 15 people), or receive respite care. People can also exercise outdoors or visit an outdoor public place.
- You can leave home for any medical reason, including to get a COVID-19 test, appointments and emergencies, to visit someone who is giving birth or dying, to avoid or escape risk of injury or harm (such as domestic abuse), to visit someone in a care home (if permitted under care home guidance), hospice, hospital, to accompany them to a medical appointment, or to go to the vets (or other animal welfare services).
- You can leave home to attend a place of worship for individual prayer, a funeral or a related event for someone who has died, to visit a burial ground or a remembrance garden, or to attend a deathbed wedding.
Meeting others:
Another key difference this times is with regards to meeting people, you can exercise of meet in a public outdoor space with those you live with, your support bubble or as part of a childcare bubble, or with one other person. Though you should remain 2 metres apart and limit your time outside your home. However, you must not meet indoors and you must not meet in private gardens.
Businesses and venues which must close:
The government has ordered certain businesses and venues to close, this includes; Non-essential retail, hospitality venues including restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars. There is an exception for takeaways, drive-through or delivery. Accommodation such as hotels, hostels, guest houses and campsites. Leisure and sports facilities, entertainment venues, places of worship, personal care facilities such as salons and community centres and halls will be closed.
Though certain businesses will be ordered to close, funerals can still be attended by a maximum of 30 people Linked ceremonial events such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 15 people in attendance. Anyone working is not counted in the 15 or 30. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.
Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except where one of those getting married is seriously ill and not expected to recover (‘deathbed wedding’). These weddings are limited to 6 people.
Childcare and children’s activities:
There are several ways that parents and carers can continue to access childcare during the national restrictions:
- Early years settings and childminders remain open, and you can continue to use these settings as normal
- You can access other childcare activities (including wraparound care) where reasonably necessary to enable parents to work, seek work, attend education or training, or for the purposes of respite care for carers
- Nannies will be able to continue to provide services, including in the home
- Parents are able to form a childcare bubble with one other household for the purposes of informal childcare, where the child is 13 or under
- Some households will also be able to benefit from being in a support bubble which allows single adult households to join another household
Some youth services are able to continue, such as 1-1 youth work and support groups, but most youth clubs and groups will need to cease for this period.
Travel
If you live in England, you cannot travel overseas or within the UK, unless for work, education or other legally permitted reasons, and you should look to reduce the number of journeys you make. However, you can and should still travel for a number of reasons, including:
- travelling to work where this cannot be done from home
- travelling to education and for caring responsibilities
- to visit those in your support bubble - or your childcare bubble for childcare
- hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health
- to buy goods or services from premises that are open, including essential retail
- to spend time or exercise outdoors - this should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)
- attending the care and exercise of a pet, or veterinary services
If you need to travel we encourage you to walk or cycle where possible and to plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport. This will allow you to practise social distancing while you travel.
You must not travel if you are experiencing any coronavirus symptoms, are self-isolating as a result of coronavirus symptoms, are sharing a household or support bubble with somebody with symptoms, or have been told to self-isolate after being contacted by NHS Test and Trace. The fine for breaching self-isolation rules start at £1,000. This could increase to up to £10,000 for repeat offences and the most serious breaches, including for those preventing others from self-isolating.
UK residents currently abroad do not need to return home immediately. However, you should check with your airline or travel operator on arrangements for returning.
