Government's latest Covid restriction easing roadmap stage on May 17 - What people in England can do from tomorrow - The Droitwich Standard

Government's latest Covid restriction easing roadmap stage on May 17 - What people in England can do from tomorrow

Droitwich Editorial 16th May, 2021 Updated: 16th May, 2021   0

THE LATEST stage of the Government’s easing of lockdown restrictions comes into force tomorrow.

After the success of the roadmap’s last stage – with the vaccination roll-out continuing at pace and case figures and deaths remaining low, it means more restrictions will be lifted on May 17.

Today, the Government’s latest Covid figures show 982,881 people undertook tests (6,356,212 over the past seven days). The daily number of positive tests is 1,926 (15,918 over the past seven days).

The number of people admitted to hospital is 103 (751 over the past week) and there have been four deaths (74 in the past seven days).




Here is what people will be able to do in England from Monday, May 17.

Friends, family and meeting up

  • Up to 30 people can meet outdoors while six people or two households can meet indoors and overnight stays are allowed.
  • The number of people who can attend funerals is no longer capped and depends on the size of the venue.
  • Up to 30 are allowed to attend group sessions
  • Care home residents can now have up to five named visitors.

Leisure and hospitality

  • Pubs, bars, cafes and restaurants can serve customers indoors.
  • Theatres, concert halls, conference centres and sports stadiums can reopen.
  • Sports and exercise classes can restart
  • Saunas and steam rooms can reopen.

Schools and colleges


  • Face coverings no longer recommended for pupils in secondary schools
  • All college and university students can return to in-person teaching if they have not already.

 

Holidays (in the UK and abroad)

  • Hotels, hostels, bed and breakfasts can reopen (previously only self-contained accommodation was allowed).
  • People travelling to the ‘green list’ foreign countries do not need to quarantine on their return

 

Foreign travel – more information

From Monday, May 17, holidaying with people outside your household will be permitted and a number of foreign travel destinations (although not all) will also be available.

Foreign destinations have been put on a traffic light system with countries falling into red, amber and green categories and the section your chosen place is in will determine which steps you need to take before and after travel.

For all three, travellers need a ‘passenger location form’ and negative tests before departing.

Anyone visiting a ‘red’ country will need to quarantine in a hotel for ten days on their return or – for ‘amber’ countries – ten days self-isolation.

Everyone, regardless of where they have been has to take a PCR test on or before day two after their return and – for red and amber countries – another test on day eight.

Those who have been to amber destinations can be released early with a negative test on day five.

The advantage of visiting a ‘green’ country is, provided your test is negative, you will not need hotel quarantine or self-isolation.

At the time of writing this, the following countries are on the green list – Australia, Brunei, the Falkland Islands, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Israel, New Zealand, Portugal, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, Singapore, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Travellers also need to be aware of any restrictions posed by countries – even if they are on the green list – about allowing UK residents to enter.

June 21 – The next stage of the lockdown easing roadmap

The next stage of the restriction easing, if this one goes well will see all restrictions lifted – on June 21.

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