The New Covid 19 restrictions announced by the PM

[MonsoonLady]

The restrictions announced by the PM - who will address the nation from Number 10 later - are as follows:

• Office workers should work from home again where possible - although those in "key public services and in all professions" where this is not possible, such as construction and retail, should continue to go in. Mr Johnson later said that people should keep going in if it is important for their job, mental health or wellbeing
• From Thursday, all pubs, bars and restaurants must offer table service only and close at 10pm - but delivery services can remain open
• The requirement to wear a face covering has been extended to staff in retail, people in taxis and everyone using hospitality services
• Fines for not wearing a face covering will now double to £200 for a first offence
• COVID-secure guidelines will become a legal obligation for retail, leisure and tourism firms, with those who do not comply running the risk of fines of £10,000 or closure
• Only 15 people can now attend weddings, but 30 can still go to a funeral
• The "rule of six" has been extended to indoor sports teams, such as five-a-side football games

The phased reopening of stadiums for sporting events from 1 October has been scrapped

But the PM has stopped short - for now - of introducing more sweeping and stringent measures to try and halt the rise in cases.


He acknowledged this in his Commons address, telling MPs: "I want to stress that this is by no means a return to the full lockdown of March. We're not issuing a general instruction to stay at home.


Coronavirus new restrictions: What you can and can't do
"We will ensure that schools, colleges, universities stay open because nothing is more important than the education, health and well-being of our young people."

It had been suggested that proposals being worked on by Downing Street could have seen essential travel to schools and workplaces continuing, with restaurants and bars shut.

There was also speculation that Number 10 would ban different households from mixing.

Mr Johnson indicated that troops could be drafted in to free up police, in order to allow officers to focus on enforcing coronavirus rules.

A Number 10 spokesperson said this would involve the military "backfilling certain duties", adding: "This is not about providing any additional powers to the military, or them replacing the police in enforcement roles, and they will not be handing out fines."

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that while his party supported the latest measures, the public would be worried that the government "doesn't have a strategy".