New lockdown rules: what you can and can’t do from Wednesday

New Lockdown rules: what can u do and what you can't do from wedensday 13 may.

Boris Johnson has announced the first step to easing the lockdown and the new rules. After seven weeks, he decided to ease the lockdown to deal with Covid-19. But, school and non-essential shops still close until at least June. Then pubs expected to be shut beyond July. And with the risk that the virus could run rampant again, the fine for breaching remaining rules will be almost doubled to £100, up to a cap of £3,200.

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New Lockdown rules: what you can do

Labour leader Keir Starmer warned: “This statement raises more questions than it answers. We see the prospect of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland pulling in different directions. The Prime Minister appears to be effectively telling millions of people to go back to work without a clear plan for safety or clear guidance as to how to get there without using public transport.” The Police Federation of England and Wales warned of “extreme pressure” being placed on the officers it represents by the relaxation of rules.

1. Exercise more than once per day. That means the rule that you could only take exercise once per day looks set to be scrapped.
2. Sit in the park – 2 meters from others. You don’t need to keep moving all the time in parks or other public places. You can sit and sunbathe or read a book in the park but at least 2 meters from people outside your own household.
3. Sunbathe on the beach with 2 meters from other. It’s the same rules as in the park.
4. Drive to other places for (socially distanced) outdoor activity. Boris Johnson said in his speech that “you can drive to other destinations” from Wednesday. But still not sure what this means.
5. Meet one friend in the park, if you stay two meters away from each other. You may sit with someone from another household in public under certain circumstances. Those are if you stay 2 meters apart – and if there are only two of you, one from each household. But you can’t bend have a very spread-out party in the park with your mates.
6. Play golf and tennis but only with members of your own household. Other sports may be allowed but there is no word on football – which obviously cannot be carried out in a socially distanced way, and usually needs more people than are in the average household.
7. Go angling and swim in lakes and the sea. You can do it from Wednesday but must be within your own household and 2 meters from other households. You can also swim in lakes and the sea as long as you’re socially distant but not outdoor swimming pools or indoor swimming pools.
8. Go back to work – if you can’t work from home. This is more a “should do” than a “can do”.

New Lockdown rules: what you can’t do

After you know there is 8 this you can do, you also should know 8 this you can’t do from Wednesday:

1. Have any kind of gathering with people outside your household (except in specific circumstances). Full details will be confirmed on Monday lunchtime, this indicates you can still be fined for having a party or a group of more than two unless you’re from the same household. You can still be fined for having a big gathering of people in the park or on the beach, even if you remain 2 meters apart. The exceptions are the same as they were before: an essential work gathering; funerals; necessary house moves, or to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person. You may also provide emergency assistance, or participate in legal proceedings or fulfill a legal obligation.
2. Visit friends or family. Because you cannot gather with people from outside your household, this indicates you still cannot visit friends and family members at their homes.
3. Go to non-essential shops or pubs, bars, or restaurants. Pubs, bars, and restaurants remain shut for the foreseeable future. Non-essential shops that are currently closed also have no reopening date, and won’t reopen until June at the earliest.
4. Go out if you are one of 1.5million people being ‘shielded‘.
5. Send your children to school – though that will change soon for primaries. At the moment, schools remain closed except for the children of key workers. However, that will change. The government is hoping all primary school pupils in England will be back in class for at least a few weeks before the summer holidays. Returns will begin from June 1 at the earliest with nurseries and primary years R, 1, and 6. Other primary year groups would follow if it is possible before the summer holidays. Government sources said the realistic time period for secondary school lessons to fully resume is September.
6. Break any of the lockdown rules, otherwise, you’ll face an increased fine. The starting point for a first offense will now be £100. That will halve to £50 if paid within 14 days. But for repeat offenders, it will double on each subsequent offense up to a limit of £3,200.
7. Go on public transport, if you can help it. Boris Johnson said that when you have to go to work, if possible do so by car or even better by walking or bicycle. London mayor Sadiq Khan has previously warned the number of people on Tubes and buses must be drastically cut to keep people 2 meters apart. A double-decker bus would be able to carry just 15 passengers.
8. Go on holiday or fly freely into the UK – without a lengthy quarantine. Boris Johnson confirmed air passengers will be quarantined after flying into the UK. That includes Brits returning from holiday.