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How the second national lockdown will impact schools, shops and gyms

The new measures were announced in a press conference at Downing Street on Saturday night - AP
The new measures were announced in a press conference at Downing Street on Saturday night - AP

Boris Johnson insisted on Saturday he had no choice but to impose a second national lockdown to save tens of thousands of lives in the second wave of coronavirus.

From one minute past midnight on Thursday, the whole of England will be plunged into the harshest measures since the original lockdown in the spring, subject to a vote in Parliament on Wednesday.

The new rules will apply until at least December 2, when the regional tiering system is expected to return.

Areas will be placed into Tiers 1, 2 or 3 depending on the prevalence of the virus locally at that point.

The overall package announced by Mr Johnson puts Britain into one of the toughest lockdown regimes in Europe, and is almost as harsh as the measures imposed in March, with the biggest difference being that schools will remain open.

Household mixing, overnight stays and support bubbles

Just as in March, households will no longer be allowed to mix indoors, with the exception of the current support bubbles which allow one other person, such as an elderly relative, to visit.

People will only be able to leave their homes for education, exercise, to buy essentials such as food and medicines, to go to work if they cannot work from home and for medical reasons.

Meetings of more than one household in gardens are banned.

Children will be allowed to move between households if their parents are divorced or separated.

Overnight stays will be banned.

It means that the “rule of six” no longer applies and until December 2 the only time households can mix is if you exercise outdoors with one person from another household, meaning dog walking with a friend is allowed if social distancing is maintained.

Non-essential retail, entertainment venues and public venues

All non-essential retailers will have to close from Thursday, meaning many shops will be closed during one of their most profitable months of the year.

Grocery stores will remain open, and unlike Wales none of their aisles selling non-essential goods will be closed off.

Non-essential retailers will still be allowed to offer click and collect services if they can be Covid-secure, as well as being able to trade online.

Hardware stores and garden centres are expected to be allowed to remain open, as long as they can operate in a Covid-secure way.

All theatres, cinemas and other entertainment venues will close, together with public buildings such as museums and libraries.

Pubs and restaurants

All pubs and restaurants must close.

They will be allowed to offer takeaway and delivery services but no-one will be allowed inside their premises.

Schools, universities and childcare

Schools, universities and childcare providers will remain open, though Mr Johnson faces a fresh battle with the unions as a result.

Mr Johnson has always maintained that schools would be the very last thing to close, and he has been as good as his word.

The University and College Union (UCU) has demanded that all non-essential teaching must move online.

Its leaders said it would be “incomprehensible” if teaching continued in person while a lockdown was on.

Figures put together by the union suggest that there have been more than 35,000 cases on campuses since term started last month.

UCU general secretary Jo Grady said: “The health and safety of the country is being put at risk because of this government’s insistence that universities must continue with in-person teaching.”

Earlier this week it was reported that more than half of secondary schools have pupils self-isolating as a result of Covid-19. About 6 to 7 per cent of state school pupils did not attend class for coronavirus-related reasons on October 22, according to the Department for Education statistics.

Approximately 26 per cent of schools, excluding those on half-term, said they had one or more pupils self-isolating due to potential contact with a Covid-19 case at school, compared with 21 per cent the week before.

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Are Covid-19 cases rising or falling in your area? All local authorities with lookup. Updates automatically

Hairdressers, barbers and close contact services

All close contact personal services will close. Hair salons, barbers, nail bars, tanning salons, tattoo parlours and other face-to-face services will shut from Thursday.

It means that hair salons in particular are likely to face a rush for last-minute bookings before Thursday as people face a month without being able to have their hair cut or styled.

Workplaces, film sets and law and order

Everyone will be told to work from home if they can, and only go to work if they do a job that cannot be done from home.

It means that office workers will be expected to stay at home, but the Government is keen for construction sites and manufacturing businesses to remain open with Covid secure rules.

Courts will continue to sit, having already built up a huge backlog of cases during lockdown, and Parliament will also remain open for business.

Further details on sole traders and the self-employed, such as plumbers, electricians, cleaners and other trades that involve working in people’s homes, are expected in the coming days.

Veterinary surgeries are expected to remain open, with no details yet on whether dentists will be open or closed.

Film and TV sets are expected to remain operational, meaning that family favourites such as Strictly Come Dancing will remain on the air as long as they can keep workers and stars safe.

The housing market and estate agents will remain open.

Over-60s and vulnerable people

There will be no advice telling elderly and vulnerable people to shield themselves, but the Government will tell people with certain medical conditions and anyone over 60 to be especially careful.

They will be told to minimise contact with other people and stay at home as much as possible.

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Coronavirus Live Tracker promo embed

Overseas and domestic travel

Travel abroad for work will still be permitted, subject to existing quarantine rules, but travelling abroad for holidays will be banned.

It means the tourism and airline industries face an ever-increasing struggle to survive.

Domestic travel for work, education, or for medical reasons will be allowed but while there will be no ban on people travelling for other reasons the tight restrictions on leaving home will effectively prevent travel for leisure or visiting friends.

Coronavirus live map cases tracker
Coronavirus live map cases tracker

Exercise and recreation, gyms and elite sports

Outdoor exercise will be allowed in public places such as parks, beaches and the countryside and anyone can exercise with members of their own household or outdoors with one person from another household, but not both at the same time.  However households cannot mix in private gardens.

Children’s outdoor playgrounds will remain open.

Gyms, swimming pools and leisure centres will close and all amateur team sports, such as football and rugby, will be banned.

Organised sports such as golf will also be prohibited, while more guidance is expected soon on whether people from the same household or two people from different households will be able to play tennis and other sports outdoors.

Elite sports such as Premier League football will be allowed to continue as they have already established their own strict Covid secure rules including regular testing.

Places of worship, weddings and funerals

Churches, mosques and other places of worship will remain open for private prayer but organised services must stop from Thursday.

Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people, and it is advised that only close friends and family attend.

Weddings, civil partnership ceremonies will not be permitted to take place except in exceptional circumstances.