UK eases Lockdown: The United Kingdom eased its coronavirus lockdown restrictions on May 17, 2021, allowing all restaurants, hotels, theatres and museums to open soon.
The lockdown rules have been eased in England, Wales and most of Scotland. This comes despite concerns over the COVID-19 variant detected first in India, which has been detected in the UK as well.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the nation has reached another milestone in its road map for lifting lockdown restrictions.
However, he urged the citizens to continue to play their part in stopping coronavirus and take responsibility when enjoying new freedoms. He said that the country must take the next step with a "heavy dose of caution".
Lockdown restrictions eased in the UK: Key Highlights
•The lockdown rules are slightly different in the United Kingdom's four constituent parts, as while restrictions are being eased in England, Scotland and Wales, they will be eased slightly later in Northern Ireland.
•At regions where restrictions have been eased, hotels, bars, restaurants, theatres and museums have been allowed to reopen.
•Restrictions on indoor and outdoor mixing have been eased, allowed indoor hospitality to reopen.
•In England, people will now be able to meet indoors in groups of up to six or two households or groups of up to 30 outdoors.
•In Scotland except for Glasgow and Moray, eight people from eight households will be able to interact with each other outdoors.
•In Wales, people will be able to meet in groups of up to six from six households outdoors. However, indoor socialising will remain unchanged and only two households will be able to meet with each other indoors.
•The social distancing rules have also been eased, allowing the people of Britain to finally hug their loved ones in public, for the first time since the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020.
•The government has also allowed overnight stays.
•Wider social distancing rules will continue to hold in adult social care, medical, retail, hospitality and business settings
•Northern Ireland will review lockdown rules on May 20.
What will reopen?
•Indoor entertainment will be allowed to reopen including theatres, Museums, Concert Halls, Cinemas, Sports Stadiums and Children's play areas.
•The cinemas will be required to have unoccupied seats between parties.
•Hotels, restaurants and bars will also be allowed to reopen.
•Hospitality will be allowed open indoors but diners and drinkers must remain seated.
•Outdoor sporting events and large performances will be allowed with a maximum capacity of 4,000 people or must only be half full, whichever is lower.
•Large indoor performances and sporting events to be allowed with a maximum of 1,000 people.
•Big sports stadiums allowed entry of either 10,000 people or be a quarter full, whichever is lower.
•Organised adult sport and exercise classes have also been allowed to resume indoors. COVID-19 testing to be used to support these openings
•Steam rooms and saunas can also reopen.
•A maximum of 30 people to be allowed for weddings, receptions and other life events.
•The number of people allowed at funerals will vary depending on the venue.
Other ease in restrictions
•Face coverings no longer mandatory for secondary school and college pupils in classrooms or communal areas.
•However, the students will have to undergo twice-weekly home testing.
•All remaining university students will also be allowed to return to in-person teaching, with twice-weekly testing.
•Staycations to be allowed in groups of up to six people or two households
Ban on overseas travel lifted
•The ban on overseas travel has been lifted and replaced with new rules.
•The travel restrictions have been lifted under a traffic light system. People have been encouraged to travel only to green list countries or amber list if they really have to.
UK's TRAFFIC LIGHT SYSTEM1. Green List•The green list includes countries that are largely free from coronavirus such as Australia, Portugal, New Zealand, Israel, Singapore, Faroe Islands, Brunei, Iceland, Gibraltar and several small remote islands that are British Overseas Territories. •People travelling to countries on this list do not have to quarantine after returning but will be required to take one post-arrival COVID test. •However, entry into few nations such as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei and the Faroe Islands is severely restricted. 2. Amber List•The Amber list covers the most popular UK holiday destinations such as Spain, France, Italy and Greece. It also includes the United States and China. •The United Kingdom's travel advisory suggests against travelling to the countries on this list. •However, those who do travel to these nations will be required to quarantine for 10 days and take two COVID tests, one on the second day after arrival in England and the second on the eighth day. 3. Red List•The red list comprises countries with a high number of COVID-19 cases such as India, Brazil, Pakistan, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Maldives, South Africa and Turkey. •While the UK cautions against travelling to the red list countries, the people returning from a red list country must stay in a quarantine in a hotel for at least 11 nights and take two COVID tests. |
Background
The United Kingdom has been one of the most affected nations in the world during this ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
United Kingdom's death toll of 127,679 is the highest coronavirus death toll in the whole of Europe and the fifth-highest in the world after the US, Brazil, India and Mexico.
The economy of the nation saw its worst decline in three centuries while the government spent hundreds of billions of pounds to save jobs and companies.
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