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England’s second national lockdown will be lifted on December 2, when a revised three-tiered system of restrictions will allow shops, gyms and hair salons to reopen across the country.
The prime minister’s “stay-at-home” instruction to the country will end for a week on Wednesday, following a month of stricter national instructions.
Under his 56-page COVID Winter Plan, which Johnson revealed to the House of Commons on Monday, the national lockdown will be replaced by a new “tougher” version of the tiered system of restrictions that preceded it.
The lifting of the national blockade as of December 2 will see:
- Non-essential shops, hairdressers, gyms and leisure facilities reopen across England
- Collective worship, weddings and all outdoor sports can resume, subject to social distancing, throughout England.
- The “rule of six” will return, meaning that people will no longer be limited to seeing just one other person in public outdoors, across England.
- The curfew prior to 10 PM for pubs, bars and restaurants will run until 11 PM, with last orders at 10 PM.
In Level 1 areas, people will be encouraged to work from home whenever possible.
In Level 2 areas, pubs and bars must close unless they serve large meals along with alcoholic beverages.
In Level 3 areas, all pubs, bars and restaurants must close, except for delivery, takeaway and self-service. Hotels and indoor entertainment venues must close in these areas as well.
The prime minister said he hoped to announce on Thursday which areas of England will be at what level, a decision that will be based on local infection rates and pressures on hospitals.
Meanwhile, for the first time since the country’s first lockdown in March, fans will be able to return to sports stadiums in areas with the lowest coronavirus cases.
At Level 1, 50% of capacity or 4,000 spectators, whichever is less, will be allowed outdoors, with a maximum of 1,000 indoors.
On Level 2, 50% of the capacity or 2000 spectators, whichever is less, will be allowed outdoors, with a maximum of 1000 indoors.
People in England will also be able to travel abroad for holidays once again from 2 December, although they will remain subject to quarantine rules.
The prime minister told deputies that his winter plan “is designed to bring us safely into spring,” while saying that “scientific cavalry is in sight” and praised advances in tests, treatments and vaccines.
“By spring, these advancements should reduce the need for the restrictions we have endured in 2020 and make the entire Covid lockdown concept redundant,” Johnson said.
The prime minister is also expected to set out this week how families across the UK could reunite at Christmas.
However, he told MPs: “I can’t say that Christmas is normal this year, but in a period of adversity, time spent with loved ones is even more valuable to people of all faiths and none.” .
“We all want some kind of Christmas, we need it, we certainly feel like we deserve it.
“But what we don’t want is to put caution aside and allow the virus to flare up again, forcing us all to go back to lockdown in January.”
