UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the next steps in easing of the current lockdown measures, with indoor hospitality and indoor mixing to return from 17th May 2021.
Key changes happening from 17th May include:
Leisure and entertainment
- Pubs, bars, cafés and restaurants will be able to open indoors
- Indoor entertainment such as museums, galleries, cinemas and children’s play areas can open
- Indoor events such as performances and conferences – with capacity limited to 1,000 people or 50% of a venue’s capacity
- Organised adult sports and exercise classes can restart indoors
- Steam rooms and saunas may reopen
- Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen
Meeting others
- People can meet in groups of up to 30 outdoors
- Six people or two households can meet indoors such as in hospitality and households, with overnight stays allowed
- Up to 30 people can attend weddings, receptions and other life events
- Number of people who can attend a funeral no longer capped, but determined by the size of venue
- Up to 30 allowed to attend a support group or parent-and-child group (not counting under fives)
- Care home residents allowed up to five named visitors, and more freedom for visits out of the home
Social distancing with close family and friends will be a matter of personal judgement. But people are asked to remain cautious around close contact, like hugging.
Social distancing remains in place in social care, medical, retail, hospitality and business settings.
Travel
- Indoor hospitality to reopen
- Indoor household mixing
- Rule of six OR 2 households will apply indoors – such as households and indoor hospitality
- Hugging will be allowed from 17th May – but people should consider the vulnerabilities of loved owns
- Businesses to reopen include pubs, restaurants, cafés, hotels, B&B’s, hostels, cinema’s, museums and soft play areas
- Travel across the UK will be permitted with overnight stays
- Face coverings no longer required in classrooms or communal areas
- Increase number of named visitors to care homes from 2 to 5 people
- Social distancing must continue when out in public
Education
- Face coverings no longer recommended in secondary schools for pupils
- Remaining university students eligible to return to in-person teaching
Covid Alert Level has been lowered from level 4 to level 3
A joint statement from the UK Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) recommending that the UK COVID-19 alert level move from level 4 to level 3.
Following advice from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and in the light of the most recent data, the UK Chief Medical Officers and NHS England National Medical Director agree that the UK alert level should move from level 4 to level 3.