Current COVID restrictions in England to change on July 19. Here’s all you need to know!
The prime minister has confirmed that from July 19th, the majority of current Coronavirus restrictions will be lifted.
This blog post will go through what will change, why this is happening and some of the advice we have still be told to follow.
What is changing?
Social Distancing
- No limits on how many people are able to meet
- No mandatory social distancing (1m+ rule removed)
- Face coverings not required by law
Events and Gatherings
- Nightclubs now allowed to open
- Pubs and restaurants no longer not table service only
- Guest limits for weddings and funerals removed
- Limits removed for concerts, theatres, and sports events
- Communal worship restrictions removed
Travel
- The previous guidance not recommending travel to countries on the amber list is now removed.
- Fully vaccinated adults will no longer have to isolate for 10 days if they have returned from an amber list country.
- Under-18s do not need to self-isolate.
Care homes
- The limits for visitors to care homes have been removed.
Schools
- On the 16th of August, Covid restrictions in school and ‘bubbles’ will be removed, for the start of the autumn term.
What will remain the same?
The health secretary has said that although most legal restrictions have been lifted, there are still things to consider:
- Meet people outdoors where possible
- Wear face coverings in a crowded area and public settings (unless you’re exempt) – such as public transport.
It is important to remember that although restrictions are lifting, it is your personal choice if you would still like to wear a mask and carry out social distancing.
What will these changes mean to business owners?
- People should start to return to the office
- Businesses such as Nightclubs and large events will be encouraged to use “Covid certification” in “high-risk settings” – there will more about this in a future blog post.
Why are restrictions being lifted?
The government had four tests that they said had to be met in order for restrictions to be eased. The Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, has said that these have now been met, these are:
- Success of the vaccine rollout
- Evidence that the vaccination is reducing hospitalisation and deaths
- The infection rates are not risking pressure that is unsustainable on the NHS
- Risks are not fundamentally changed by new variants
Read more about the changes
You can read in more detail about these changes across the UK on the BBC News website here.
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