28 January 2022. BBC: Covid rules are being relaxed across the UK.
The last week has seen restrictions eased in England, Scotland and Wales.
What are the rules in England?
Most of the rules introduced under Plan B have ended:
- work from home guidance has been dropped
- face masks are no longer compulsory (although some shops have asked customers to keep wearing them and they are required by Transport for London)
- Covid passes are no longer compulsory at venues and events
From Monday 31 January:
- care homes will have no limit to visitor numbers, self-isolation periods will be cut and rules for managing outbreaks will be eased
The PM hopes to scrap mandatory self-isolation for people who test positive for Covid no later than 24 March, when regulations expire.
- How are travel rules being relaxed?
- Is self-isolation going to be scrapped?
- Where do I still need to wear a mask?
What’s changing in Scotland?
From 31 January:
Work from home advice ends, although the government wants a “phased return to the office”, with some staff continuing to work remotely.
Some changes have already been made:
- adults participating in organised activities with under-fives no longer need a mask
- face covering exemptions requiring two-metre physical distancing have been reduced to one metre
- nightclubs can open
- no limit on the size of indoor events
- no requirement for social distancing indoors, or table service in hospitality venues
- no limit on the number of households meeting indoors
- non-professional indoor contact sports allowed
Some restrictions are still in place:
- shops and businesses need to take measures to limit the spread of Covid
- face coverings are compulsory on public transport and most indoor spaces, including secondary schools
- a Covid certification scheme is in place for some venues including nightclubs, meaning people must provide proof of their vaccination status or a recent negative test
Anyone who had their second dose more than four months ago must now also have received a booster to be considered fully vaccinated.
What’s happening in Wales?
A gradual easing of Covid restrictions is under way:
- there are no longer limits on numbers at outdoor events
- nightclubs can open
- gatherings in pubs and restaurants are no longer limited to six people
- there is no longer a legal requirement to work at home
- businesses no longer need to ensure 2m (6ft) social distancing in the workplace
Some measures remain in place:
- NHS Covid Pass needed for entry to cinemas, theatres and concert halls, and many events
- compulsory face coverings in schools, on public transport, and in shops and hospitals
- secondary school pupils are asked to test for Covid three times a week
What are the rules in Northern Ireland?
A series of changes have been made:
- rules on table service in hospitality businesses and the “rule of six” per table have ended
- guidance of no more than three households meeting in a home has been removed
- nightclubs can open and indoor standing events are allowed
- proof of Covid status no longer legally required in hospitality premises (it remains in place for nightclubs, indoor unseated and partially-seated events with 500 or more people)
Measures in place include:
- no more than 30 people can meet in a home
- face coverings compulsory in shops, indoor-seated venues and visitor attractions, public transport and some other settings
- post-primary pupils must wear a face covering inside school buildings, as well as on school transport. Staff are encouraged to wear masks in school areas where they can’t socially distance
