Main points from today
- The PM held a briefing and confirmed the new rules. Prime Minister’s statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 22 September 2020
- Coronavirus (COVID-19): What has changed – 22 September sets out the full press briefing and the updated guidance is Staying alert and safe and Coronavirus (COVID-19): Meeting with others safely (social distancing)
- In summary:-
- Working from home ‘To help contain the virus, office workers who can work effectively from home should do so over the winter. Where an employer, in consultation with their employee, judges an employee can carry out their normal duties from home they should do so. Public sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary. Anyone else who cannot work from home should go to their place of work. The risk of transmission can be substantially reduced if COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed closely. Extra consideration should be given to those people at higher risk.’
- Businesses selling food or drink (including cafes, bars, pubs and restaurants), social clubs, casinos, bowling alleys, amusement arcades (and other indoor leisure centres or facilities), funfairs, theme parks, and adventure parks and activities, and bingo halls, must be closed between 10pm and 5am. This will include take-aways but delivery services can continue after 10pm. (from 24 September)
- Table service only in licenced premises.
- Meeting people safely
- Support groups must be limited to a maximum of 15 people (from 24 September)
- Indoor organised sport for over 18s will no longer be exempt from the rule of six. There is an exemption for indoor organised team sports for disabled people. (From 24 September)
- There will be a new exemption in those areas of local intervention where household mixing is not allowed, to permit friends and family to provide informal childcare for children under 14. (from 24 September)
- Businesses will need to display the official NHS QR code posters so that customers can ‘check-in’ at different premises using this option as an alternative to providing their contact details once the app is rolled out nationally. (from 24 September)
- Businesses and organisations will face stricter rules to make their premises COVID Secure (from 28 September).
- A wider range of leisure and entertainment venues, services provided in community centres, and close contact services will be subject to the COVID-19 Secure requirements in law and fines of up to £10,000 for repeated breaches.
- Employers must not knowingly require or encourage someone who is being required to self-isolate to come to work.
- Businesses must remind people to wear face coverings where mandated.
Latest Guidance (health)
A reminder of the definitions of symptoms and the consequences of a negative test. All from www.nhs.uk
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/symptoms/
- a high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
- a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal
Most people with coronavirus have at least 1 of these symptoms.
What to do if you have symptoms
If you have any of the main symptoms of coronavirus:
- Get a test to check if you have coronavirus as soon as possible.
- Stay at home and do not have visitors until you get your test result – only leave your home to have a test.
Anyone you live with, and anyone in your support bubble, must also stay at home until you get your result.
When to get a test
Get a test as soon as possible if you have any symptoms of coronavirus.
The symptoms are:
- a high temperature
- a new, continuous cough
- a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste
The test needs to be done in the first 5 days of having symptoms.
You do not need to get a test if you have no symptoms or if you have different symptoms.
Negative test result
A negative result means the test did not find coronavirus.
You do not need to self-isolate if your test is negative, as long as:
- everyone you live with who has symptoms tests negative
- everyone in your support bubble who has symptoms tests negative
- you were not told to self-isolate for 14 days by NHS Test and Trace – if you were, see what to do if you’ve been told you’ve been in contact with someone who has coronavirus
- you feel well – if you feel unwell, stay at home until you’re feeling better
General Guidance
The general coronavirus guidance starts here:-
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
