meet indoors, so people can now enter each other s homes.
Hugging is allowed between close family and friends, who can choose whether or not to socially distance. However, people are being urged to remain cautious , and wider social distancing rules remain for adult social care, medical, retail, hospitality and business settings.
Pubs and restaurants can open indoors and venues are allowed to serve food and drink, but hospitality guidance must be observed, such as individuals remaining seated. There are no requirements for guests to be socially distanced at tables during this stage.
The
rule of six and two households rule was also introduced indoors from this date. It has been lifted outdoors, meaning people can meet in groups of up to 30 in beer gardens or when dining al fresco.
Step-by-step unlocking: what happens when?
The roadmap is underpinned by four key tests that are linked to data, which act like a checklist that must be met before moving on to the next step of reopening.
The tests determine whether the vaccine rollout is going as planned; vaccines are effective in bringing down deaths and hospitalisations; case numbers are not rising so fast that the NHS risks being overwhelmed; and new variants do not create unforeseen risks.
Below are the changes of the roadmap from May 17 and those expected on June 21, although delays are possible if the data take a negative turn.
School sports also returned, and wraparound childcare resumed.
There were also changes in care home rules on March 8. Residents were once again allowed to have a single visitor.
Care home residents were allowed to go for walks in parks or visit a relative s garden from May 4, provided they continue to socially distance and wash their hands regularly. They were also able to visit public gardens and beaches, but were limited to meeting one other person.
From March 29, six people from six different households were allowed to meet outside. Alternatively, two households could also meet outside.
The stay at home guidance was dropped, similarly the Government dropped its “stay local” messaging, meaning that households were no longer explicitly told to remain in their geographical area.
Professor James Naismith. Picture Rosalind Franklin Institut Local restrictions will not contain the spread of the Indian variant of Covid-19 and it should be viewed as a national problem, an Oxford professor has warned. The highly infectious variant may spread way beyond the current hotspots of Bolton in Greater Manchester, Erewash in Derbyshire, Blackburn, Bedford and Sefton, said Prof James Naismith, from the University of Oxford. Prof Naismith, a director at the Rosalind Franklin Institute, told BBC Radio 4: I think we should view it as a countrywide problem. It will get everywhere. We keep learning this lesson, but we know that this will be the case.
Why Indian Covid-19 variant is a concern for vaccines and ending lockdown
There are fears the mutated strain may spread more easily than the Kent variant which put England back into lockdown, which is set to be relaxed again
Updated
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