[ad_1]
The amilias will be able to gather across the UK over Christmas under a five-day relaxation of coronavirus rules.
Despite the agreed four-nation approach, there will still be some minor adjustments. Each administration will clarify its own settings in the coming days.
So how long will the loosening of the rules last? And how will they affect families? Here is everything we know so far.
Will people be allowed to see their families at Christmas?
Yes. Three households will be able to mix indoors as part of a temporary “Christmas bubble” between December 23-27.
Those traveling to and from Northern Ireland will receive an additional day on each side to allow for longer travel times.
Children under 18 whose parents live apart can be part of the bubble of both parents if they decide to form different groups.
There will be no size limit for any bubble, so don’t worry if you have a large family, as long as everyone lives within a maximum of three households.
This means that not all children who have flown the nest may not be able to return home to their parents if three or more of them live separately.
However, college students who return from the residences at the end of the course will automatically become part of their family home. Although the rules may vary in other administrations when detailed regulations are published.
Furthermore, people over 65 in residences will not be able to reunite with their families at Christmas.
Three households will be able to mix indoors under the new rules
/ AFP )Where can people be found?
Members of a bubble can meet in the following three locations:
- The houses of others;
- In a place of worship;
- In a public space outdoors or in a garden.
People will not have the right to meet in pubs or restaurants.
Hospitality restrictions will continue to apply, based on an area specific tier.
Can I have different bubbles on different days?
No. The bubbles must remain fixed for the five day period.
This means that you won’t be able to meet with two households on Christmas Day and then spend Boxing Day with two others.
Households cannot belong to multiple bubbles either. In other words, the same three groups must stay together.
With that said, if you live in England and have already formed a support bubble with another household, this counts as a home.
This means that you and your support bubble can join two other households in a Christmas bubble.
Can I visit family in other parts of the UK?
Yes. Travel restrictions will be lifted to allow people to visit loved ones anywhere in the UK.
He warned that many transportation networks will operate with limited capacity due to social distancing and planned engineering works, so he urged people to consider staying.
Can we hug?
Yes. Members of the bubble will not be required to follow social distancing while they are together.
Arlene Foster and Michelle O’Neill on Christmas Rules across the UK
However, people are advised to exercise caution when around vulnerable loved ones.
People are also advised to cut down on unnecessary contact with people they don’t live with in the two weeks before joining a bubble.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has urged families to make a “personal judgment” on the risk of who they form a bubble with or if they visit elderly relatives.
In a video statement posted after the transferred deal was reached, he said: “Wherever you are in the country, I urge you to continue the incredible effort that you and everyone else have been doing to keep pushing against the virus. .
“Of course all this means that this year Christmas will be different. Many of us long to spend time with family and friends regardless of our faith or background. And yet we cannot afford to lose caution.
“The virus does not know that it is Christmas and we must all be careful.”
He added: “I know this does not amount to a normal Christmas and it will not work for everyone and it is up to each of us to think carefully about how we use this special limited time dispensation.
What about New Years Eve? Will the rules be relaxed again then?
Scotland’s Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the festive relaxation of the rules will not be extended to cover New Year’s Eve.
She emphasized: “We know that for some, contact with friends and family is crucial during this time, as isolation and loneliness can especially affect people during the Christmas period. The “bubble” approach aims to reduce this impact.
“But we must be clear, there can be no further relaxation of measures for Hogmanay.
“Even this brief relaxation will give the virus a chance to spread. Our priority is to suppress the transmission of Covid-19 and reduce the risk for the vulnerable and those who have spent so much time protecting themselves, and that means complying with the rules.”
“Just because you can mix with others indoors during this time doesn’t mean you have to. If you choose to follow the rules as they are, then you will continue the hard work to defeat this virus and prevent its spread.”
So what happens after December 27?
So, will it be a long, dark January locked in?
Calum Semple, professor of children’s health and sprout medicine at the University of Liverpool, has said that while some restrictions may be needed after the holiday period, they may not need to be “draconian.”
Speaking at Sky’s Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Professor Semple, who is a member of the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), agreed with estimates that each day of relaxation would require five days of stricter restrictions.
But he added: “I think the round is fine, but it should not be seen that they are going to be draconian restrictions, they are only going to prolong the restrictions and higher level restrictions for some areas.
