New National Covid Restrictions from Thursday

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Following the Prime Ministers announcement last night, we will try to summarise the new rules as they apply to our area:

1.The announcement of the new rules means that West Yorkshire will NOT move to Tier 3 on Monday.

West Yorkshire Council Leaders said “​For our residents and businesses, we must clear up understandable confusion: the region will now NOT be moving into Tier Three (Very High) measures on Monday as planned; we will remain in Tier Two (High) restrictions, and then follow the national measures from Thursday 5 November until Wednesday 2 December.”  Full statement from the council leaders is here: West Yorkshire Council Leaders Statement 31st October

2. From Thursday the national measures will apply – a summary is below

  • People will be told to stay at home except for education, work (if it can’t be done from home), exercise and recreation, medical reasons, shopping for food and other essentials, or to care for others
  • All pubs and restaurants will have to close (takeaways and deliveries can continue)
  • All non-essential shops will have to close (supermarkets can sell non-essential goods)
  • Households will not be allowed to mix with others indoors, or in private gardens
  • Individuals can meet one person from outside their household in an outside public space
  • Support bubbles for people who live alone and households made up of single parents and children can continue
  • Children will be able to move between homes if their parents are separated
  • Schools, colleges and universities will remain open
  • Workplaces will be asked to stay open if people cannot work from home – including construction and manufacturing
  • Outdoor exercise and recreation will be allowed, but gyms will have to close
  • Shielding as practised in the spring will not currently be reintroduced. The clinically vulnerable, or those over the age of 60, should be especially careful to follow the rules and minimise contacts with others. Those who are clinically extremely vulnerable should not only minimise their contacts with others, but also not go to work if they are unable to work from home.

Full government rules and guidance is here https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-national-restrictions-from-5-november

3. After 2 December, different regions will return to the tiers one to three, depending upon the rates of infection.

This is all subject to approval by Parliament when they vote on Wednesday