Covid: Nine Ways England’s Blockade Is Different Than Last Time

On Thursday, England will be locked down again, with nonessential pubs, restaurants and shops ordered to close.

Here are nine things that are different from the March lockdown.

In March, she was only able to meet other people outside her home under a very limited set of circumstances.

It was not allowed to meet another person socially until May.

This time, you can catch up with a friend in a public place outside, like a park or a beach, as long as you get away socially and neither of you isolate yourself.

And this time, preschoolers are not included in the two-person limit, so those who care for young people can still have social contact.

The government has emphasized that it is prioritizing education, so schools, colleges and universities will remain open, as will nurseries and other nurseries.

They closed in March, and although studies continued online, many students didn’t return in person until September.

In the summer, scientists warned that pubs and other activities might have to close for schools to stay open in the second wave.

“We cannot allow this virus to damage the future of our children even more than it already has,” Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, adding that the clinical advice is for young people to be in school.

The government has specifically said that public toilets can remain open.

This also applies to visitor attractions such as gardens and castles, if they are normally available to the public and far enough apart.

During the latest closure, many municipalities did not reopen their public toilets when allowed.

People with young children and long-term health problems were particularly affected, and with bars and restaurants closed, many complained that they were forced to relieve themselves in public places.

Many people are entering this lockdown as part of a “bubble” of support, a concept that did not exist in March.

It means that an adult living alone or a single parent family can freely mix with another designated household of any size.

A household with children under the age of 13 can also form a child care bubble with another household to assist with informal (unpaid and unregistered) child care. This must always be between the same two households; However, the Cabinet Office has not been able to confirm to the BBC whether one or more people from the second home can provide childcare, so in the case of grandparents, for example, if only one of them can .

The bubbles will continue during the confinement.

Non-essential stores are closing once again, but this time click and collect will be allowed, where customers order products online and go to pick them up.

Click-and-collect involves minimal contact and could help stores keep more workers employed.

Garden centers can stay open this time too, as can waste and recycling tips.

In the first days of the confinement, sitting on a bench could be interpreted as a violation of the coronavirus rules, unless the person took a break from exercising. He was also not allowed to sunbathe or read outdoors.

This time around, the government hasn’t put any time limits on recreational activities, and the prime minister suggested that meeting a friend in the park for a walk or sitting on a bench and eating a sandwich was perfectly fine.

The message is very different now than in March, when people were told to only do one form of outdoor exercise a day.

The government is aware of obesity, mental health and other problems caused by the inactivity of the lockdown, and the risks of transmitting the coronavirus are generally higher indoors.

The new lockout guide says “you can and should travel to … spend time or exercise outdoors. This should be done locally whenever possible, but you can travel to do so if necessary.”

Only essential trips were allowed in the spring, but this was open to interpretation, and a police force was criticized for sharing drone footage of hikers online.

Dentists and opticians were only open for emergency appointments at the beginning of the last closing.

But this time they can open as usual, just like chiropractors and osteopaths.

Boots Opticians and Specsavers say they will operate normally, while the British Dental Association has confirmed that dental services will be available.

An alarming side effect of the latest lockdown was missed medical appointments, as many were concerned about overloading the health service or being exposed to the virus.

This has potentially led to thousands of missed diagnoses and treatments.

Mr. Johnson stressed that it is “really important” to “get your scans, show up for your appointments and pick up your treatments” during this closure and throughout the winter.

About two million vulnerable people had to protect themselves in the last confinement, which means they stayed at home.

Many found this advice “very restrictive,” says the government.

The goal is to strike a balance between practical measures to keep people safe while reducing the damage done to their well-being and mental health.

“I know how tough the armor was and we will not ask people to protect themselves in the same way,” Johnson said.

However, the “clinically extremely vulnerable,” including organ transplant patients and people with certain cancers, have been told to take extra care to minimize contact with other people, including working from home.