Coronavirus restrictions ease from 17 May - what it means for you
12/05/2021
The Prime Minister confirmed this week that the
four tests to further ease restrictions in England have been met. These tests were:
- The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
- Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated.
- Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS.
- Our assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new variants of concern.
The data supports moving to Step 3 in England from next Monday 17 May. This means that in England:
- People will be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people and meet indoors in groups of up to six or two households
- The majority of sectors will reopen, including pubs, bars and restaurants indoors. Indoor entertainment will resume, including cinemas, museums and children's play areas
- Theatres, concert halls, conference centres and sports stadia can all reopen, with larger events in these settings able to resume with capacity limits.
- Organised adult sport and exercise classes can resume whilst indoors and saunas and steam rooms may reopen
- All remaining accommodation including hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen
- Domestic overnight stays will be allowed in groups of up to six people or two households
- Weddings, receptions and other life events can take place with up to 30 people
- There will no longer be a cap on the numbers attending funerals, in line with how many people can be safely accommodated in venues
- 30 people will be able to attend a support group or parent and child group. The limit does not include children under five
- Care home visiting will be eased further, with residents able to have up to five named visitors and greater freedoms to make low risk visits out of the home.
- From Monday 17 May, the Government will publish updated guidance on personal contact, such as close contact
- Face coverings for pupils will no longer be recommended in classrooms or in communal areas in secondary schools and colleges, under the plans confirmed today
- All remaining university students will be eligible to return to in-person teaching and learning from 17 May, and should get tested twice a week upon return
- Home testing will remain available to control infection rates.
- People will be able to travel to a small number of countries on the green list and will not have to quarantine on return. These are Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Iceland, the Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, the Falkland Islands, Israel, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira. Some of these countries have their own restrictions which UK travellers will be expected to observe
- People can also choose whether to socially distance with close family and friends, meaning that they can sit close together and hug. However, the government is urging people to remain cautious about the risks and to be conscious that some people are more vulnerable than others.
Step 4 is due to take place no earlier than 21 June. Further detail on Step 4 will be set out at the end of the month. Step 4 will mean that all legal restrictions will end, including “work from home by default”.
What this means for our services to you:
- We will continue to provide all services as we have done since the initial lockdown including repairs, servicing of heating systems and other safety-related work, estate services such as cleaning and rubbish clearance
- Where staff and our contractors are required to visit you or a site we will continue to do so, taking all necessary precautions – social distancing and hand washing, as well as face coverings while on site or in your home. We would ask that you ensure that you also take all necessary precautions and keep socially distanced from our teams as they go about their work
- We will continue to offer appointments with our Neighbourhood Managers, Home Ownership and Income teams which are available either online or by phone. Get in touch here or book an appointment
- If you report a repair we will contact you to see when you would like the work done, ensure we work safely in your home and ask you to help us. You can read more about how we work safely in your home. Please let us know if anyone in your home is displaying any Covid-19 symptoms.
- You can contact us by phone, email, through the website using the Chat Bot or an enquiry form, you can also send us a whats app message or use social media if you need to get in touch. Get in touch here.
- Our ChatBot is available 24/7 and can answer most questions for you – including sending you a rent statement, or being able to report a repair
- We will re – open community halls for events where it is possible to remain covid-secure with social distancing in place
- Our reception service at Eversholt St will remain open 9am to 4pm, Monday to Friday, closing for half an hour at from 12:30-1pm to enable a break for staff and for cleaning
- We will consult local residents on services from the Watermill Lane office
- Community halls will only be available if there is enough space to make them covid-secure
- Communal lounges in retirement housing will not re open until the final step in the Government roadmap, due on 21 June.You can see our roadmap here (this is in line with current Government Guidance and may change.)