What can you do from 17 May when COVID restrictions are relaxed?

Boris Johnson has revealed which COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted on 17 May in England.

The prime minister said the data continues to show the UK is making good progress against the virus and the country has met the four tests to further ease restrictions.

Ministers look at whether the vaccine rollout is continuing successfully, vaccines are reducing hospital admissions and deaths, infection rates are not risking a surge in hospital admissions and the risks are not fundamentally changed by variants of concern.

From 17 May, these are the new rules:

• People can meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people

• Indoors, groups of six or a larger group of two households can meet

• Hospitality can open indoors – but diners and drinkers must remain seated

• Indoor entertainment can open, including cinemas, museums, and children’s play areas

• Theatres, concert halls, conference centres and sports stadia can reopen – with capacity limits

• Large indoor performances and sporting events with a capacity of 1,000 people will be allowed

• Outdoor large performances and sporting events will have a maximum capacity of 4,000 people or must only be half full, whichever is lower

• Bigger sports stadiums will be allowed 10,000 people or can only be a quarter full, whichever is lower

• Testing will be used to support these openings

• Organised adult sport and exercise classes can resume indoors

• Saunas and steam rooms can open

• Travel restrictions are lifted – but people should only travel to green list countries, or amber if they really have to

• Hotels, hostels and B&Bs can reopen fully

• Staycations can take place in groups of up to six people or two households

• Weddings, receptions, and other life events can take place with up to 30 people – but no guests can dance

• Funerals can take place with the number of people safely allowed at that specific venue

• Thirty people can attend a support group, or parent and child group (children under five years old do not count)

• Care home residents can have up to five named visitors and greater freedoms to make low-risk visits

• Face coverings no longer needed by secondary school and college pupils in classrooms or communal areas

• Twice weekly home testing for pupils remains

• All remaining university students can return to in-person teaching, with twice weekly testing

• People have the choice as to whether to socially distance with close family and friends

• People can hug those close to them but they should remain cautious as this remains a way of transmitting COVID

• Wider social distancing rules remain in place in adult social care, medical, retail, hospitality and business settings.

Wales and Scotland are also set to relax restrictions on 17 May while Northern Ireland is due to do the same from 24 May.

Read Entire Article