New Covid tier rules: What you can and can’t do in Tiers 1, 2, 3 and 4 from today

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BORIS Johnson has announced a new Tier 4 for London and huge parts of the South East today.

But what will you be able to do in each tier after midnight tonight? Here’s what you need to know.

Tier 4 will come in for a third of the country at midnight

What is the new Tier 4?

Tier 4 will include:

  • The Tier 4 will be similar to the November lockdown – with all but essential shops closed
  • The “stay at home” message is expected to be law
  • The plan to allow Brits to form social bubbles over five days will be ditched, with only those in Tiers 1 to 3 allowed to form a bubble on Christmas Day itself
  • International travel abroad is not advised – but won’t be banned
  • People should not enter or leave Tier 4
  • People can only meet one person from another household in an outside space
  • They won’t be reviewed until 30 December – after Christmas
  • Support bubbles will be still allowed
Keep-fit fans can hit the gym again from December 2

Going to nightclubs remains banned across the tiers

Group trips to the pub are still banned unless you live in a Tier 1 area and keep to the Rule of Six

Cinemas will remain shut in Tier 3 areas

Tier 1

Rule of six and 10pm curfew – but people will have until 11pm to finish drinks and leave.

Tier 2

Alcohol can only be served as part of a substantial meal. Rule of six applies outside for meeting people, and no household mixing inside.

Tier 3

Pubs, restaurants and other hospitality will have to close, but can do takeaway, delivery and drive through.

Indoor entertainment will have to shut – including cinemas, casinos, bowling alleys, soft play and other venues will have to close.

No households are allowed to mix inside or out, but they can mix in some public places like parks if they abide by the rule of six.

Businesses that will be forced to shut will be able to access the same furlough package of support that they had before.

Tier 4

Tier four is set to be announced for London, the southeast, and the east of England, according to reports.

It comes amid a rise in infection rates and concerns that a new variant of coronavirus is “spreading rapidly” in parts of the country.

Reports suggest that support bubbles will not be allowed over the festive period in tier four areas, including on Christmas day.

People are also expected to be told to stay at home.

What Tier will I be in?

More than 99 per cent of the country is in the upper tiers, with just the Isle of Wight, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in the lower Tier 1.

Some 32 million people in England – just over 56 per cent of the population – will be in Tier 2, and nearly 42 per cent (23 million people) in Tier 3.

Matt Hancock unveiled the tiers on November 26 in the House of Commons – confirming the “stay at home” order will end, and shops, gyms and personal care will reopen.

Mr Hancock said: “We cannot simply flick a switch and try to return to life straight back to normal.

“If we did this we would undo the hard work of so many and see the NHS overwhelmed.”

Liverpool is being hailed as a success story after mass testing by the Army helped bring infection rates down to 162 per 100,000 people from 700 five weeks ago.

It has gone from Tier 3 into Tier 2 and provides a model for others to get out of the top tier too.

 

What will be able to reopen?

Gyms, leisure centres and swimming pools can return from today, December 2.

And close contact services will be allowed – including beauty appointments, tattoos, nails and haircuts.

Officials were concerned that they would be unable to stop people going from Tier 3 areas into Tier 2 ones to sneak in an appointment before Christmas – so made the blanket rules.

Venues must continue to be Covid-secure with visors and face-masks to protect both customers and staff.

Can I see the football now?

Sports fans in Britain can return to indoor and outdoor events from today, December 2 onwards as the PM relaxes the sport coronavirus rules for Christmas.

In a huge boost for the nation, fans in Tier 1 and 2 will be allowed to watch Premier League games and other sporting events in the flesh after the lockdown ends.

A set number of fans will be allowed into stadiums to cheer on their teams.

However, those in Tier 3 areas will continue to be locked out.

Can I get married?

Weddings will be able to take place across England – but receptions will be banned in the top Tier 3.

The rules will go back to how they were in October – with 15 guests allowed at weddings and civil partnership ceremonies.

Mr Johnson said: “Collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume, and shops, personal care, gyms and the wider leisure sector can reopen.”

Can I go on holiday?

Yes, this will be legal but it will likely be still discouraged as part of efforts to drive down the virus.

However, people won’t face a £200 fine for going away any more.

The rules will apply for both foreign and domestic holidays.

But people living in or going to Tier 3 areas won’t be able to stay in hotels or another accommodation as they will have to close.

It’s expected that ministers will soon announce that the quarantine will be slashed down from 14 days too – giving hope for winter holidays for millions of Brits.

Are there any exemptions?

The Government is expanding eligibility of “support bubble” – in good news for new parents.

Anyone with a newborn child under one year old (or under five, but with a disability that necessitates continuous care) can bubble up with another household.

And the new rules will also apply for those households where a single adult cares for someone with such a disability.

What about Christmas?

Ministers previously agreed to UK-wide set of travel rules which were to come into play over the festive period.

Up to three households were to be allowed to mix over a period of five days in December, from the 23rd to the 27th.

The government now seems poised to scrap the relaxations.

Mixing in social bubbles will reportedly still be allowed in the first three tiers, but for Christmas day only, and people will be advised to stay local.

No bubbles are expected to be allowed in tier four, and people are expected to be told to stay at home.

How have the Government chosen which Tier to go into?

They looked at the following before making decisions:

  • Case rates in all age groups;
  • Case rates in the over 60s;
  • The rate at which cases are rising or falling;
  • The number of cases as a percentage of tests taken
  • Pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy.

Has the isolation period been scrapped?

A new trial in Liverpool will scrap the need for people who are contacts of those who test positive to isolate for 14 days.

Instead they will be texted regularly – as much as every day – and they will only have to isolate if they test positive.

If they don’t, they can go about their lives as usual.

This will be trialled in Liverpool first then, if successful, will be rolled out across the NHS and care homes in December, and to everyone else from early 2021.

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