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The UK has imposed a series of new coronavirus restrictions for England that could last up to six months, as deaths from Covid-19 are starting to rise for the first time since April.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the country was at a “dangerous tipping point”.
Similar restrictions are being applied in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, although Northern Ireland and Scotland have gone further in restrictions to stop the spread of the virus.
This means that there are various Covid-19 public health restrictions that apply across the UK and in different parts of the island of Ireland.
What are the main measures announced for England?
Pubs, bars and restaurants will be forced to close at 10pm starting Thursday and will be restricted to table service only. Table reservations are limited to six people and groups cannot mix.
People working from home are being advised, whenever possible, and masks are being made mandatory for bar staff, customers who are not seated, store staff and waiters.
The number of guests allowed at a wedding has been reduced from 30 to 15 and the number of people allowed to participate in indoor team sports has been limited to six. The UK government’s plan to allow spectators at sporting events has been postponed.
How are Northern Ireland restrictions different?
In England six people from various households are allowed to meet indoors, while in Northern Ireland social visits to private households are not allowed, where you will not be able to meet anyone you do not live with within your home. In England, six people from various households can meet in the open air; in Northern Ireland, six people from two households are allowed in a private garden, but up to 15 people can gather outside in a public space.
Are there exceptions in Northern Ireland?
Yes, one home can “bubble” with another, which means the two can have close physical contact. This allows two households to serve adults living alone or single parents with children.
Other exemptions include caregiving responsibilities, including childcare, construction work, legal or medical visits, a funeral, or when people operate a business from home.
The Northern Ireland Executive has not announced a curfew on so-called wet pubs, which are due to open in the North on Wednesday as has been imposed in England, but the measure must be considered by the Executive on Thursday.
What is happening in Scotland that is different from England?
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon, as in Northern Ireland, announced a ban on gathering inside other people’s houses and allowed up to six people from two households to meet outdoors, including in private gardens, although young people as young as 12 to 18 years are exempt and can meet outdoors in groups of up to six. The Scottish government does not place any limits on the number of children under 12 who can gather or play together outdoors.
How do the UK measures differ from the approach here?
It depends on whether you live in or outside of Dublin, which is in the more restrictive Tier 3 measures compared to Tier 2 in the rest of the country.
In Dublin, a maximum of six people from another household can visit your home or garden, which is not as restrictive as the Northern Ireland measure. Outside Dublin, up to six visitors from two or three homes or another home can visit inside or in a private garden.
How is the approach different from pubs?
Unlike in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, where pubs can remain open with restrictions, wet pubs were not allowed to reopen in Dublin as proposed on September 21 and indoor dining in pubs in London was banned. food, cafes and restaurants in Dublin due to the rise of the coronavirus. Infections Outside of Dublin, wet bars were allowed to reopen, but with table service and groups of people limited to six out of no more than three households. Pubs, cafes and restaurants serving food, including hotel restaurants and bars, may reopen if protective measures are taken.
And the weddings?
In Dublin, the number of weddings is limited to 25 and 50 in the rest of the country. The number of guests at the wedding in Northern Ireland can be a multiple of what is based on a risk assessment of the size of the function room while at the same time adhering to social distancing guidelines, advice from public health and industry guidelines.
Is Northern Ireland closer to the British or Irish answer?
It’s a bit of a mixed bag. Regarding domestic restrictions, it is closer to the Irish Government’s measures and goes beyond the restrictions applied in Dublin, while in social activities, the response from the North is closer to the British approach.
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