In the coronavirus press conference yesterday afternoon, Prime Minister Boris Johnson  confirmed the latest relaxations, including:

On shops:

“…as the Business Secretary confirmed yesterday, we can now allow all shops to reopen from Monday. It is vital that establishments should ensure they are meeting Covid Secure guidelines before they reopen.”

On outdoor attractions:

“…on outdoor attractions. Because the risk of transmission is lower outdoors, we can open up some more outdoor attractions for people to enjoy this summer.

“So from Monday, we will allow outdoor attractions where people can stay in their cars, such as safari parks and drive-in cinemas to open.”

On zoos:

“…I am very grateful to the zoo industry for their cooperation and forbearance, and am happy to confirm that they too can reopen from Monday, provided visitor numbers are managed and safeguards put in place. That includes keeping indoor areas such as reptile houses closed and facilitating social distancing.”

Further relaxations

Having confirmed that the government’s 5 tests[1] continue to be met, the Prime Minister set out further relaxations effective from this weekend which will allow single adult households (adults living alone or single parents with children under 18) to form a “support bubble” with one other household.

All those in a support bubble will be able to act as if they live in the same household - meaning they can spend time together inside each other’s homes and do not need to stay 2 metres apart.

Boris Johnson stressed that support bubbles must be exclusive - meaning you cannot switch the household you are in a bubble with or connect with multiple households. If any member of the support bubble develops symptoms of COVID-19, all members of the bubble will need to follow the normal advice on household isolation.

This latest change is intended to support those who are particularly lonely as a result of lockdown measures.  The Prime Minister referred to it as a ‘targeted intervention to limit the most harmful effects of the current social restrictions’ and stressed that ‘It is emphatically not designed for people who don’t qualify to start meeting inside other people’s homes - that remains against the law.’ 

The latest relaxation does not include those who are shielding, although further announcements were promised next week for those shielding due to their vulnerability.

New guidance has been published alongside the relaxations: ‘Meeting people from outside your household’, while existing guidance 'Staying alert and safe (social distancing)'  and 'FAQs: what you can and can’t do' has been updated.

[1] The Government’s 5 tests:

Test 1 - To protect the NHS’s ability to cope

Test 2 - a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rates from COVID-19

Test 3 – decreasing rate of infection

Test 4 - operational challenges, including testing capacity and Personal Protective Equipment, are in hand.

Test 5 – confidence that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelms the NHS.