Boris OKs a bunk-up: Household ‘bubbles’ announced for people alone in lockdown
Boris Johnson has announced that people living alone and single parents with children under 18 in England will be able to visit one other household and form “safety bubbles”.
The new policy will allow people who live alone, or with children, to visit the other household in their bubble, with no social distancing required.
The rule change means that grandparents living along will be able to hug family members in their new bubbles or stay over at their home.
It will also allow partners not living together to visit each other’s house if one of them lives alone.
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Johnson made it clear at the announcement that the bubbles will be exclusive, meaning only two households are able to form a bubble.
If someone in a bubble displays coronavirus-like symptoms then every member of safety bubble will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
People who are shielding from Covid-19, and not able to leave their homes, cannot form a bubble.
The new rule is intended to alleviate loneliness for people who live alone and have had limited outside contact in the past two-and-a-half months.
“We’re making this change to support those who are particularly lonely as a result of lockdown measures,” Johnson said.
“It’s a targeted intervention aimed at limiting the most harmful effects of social restrictions.
“It is not designed for people who don’t qualify to start meeting inside other people’s homes – that remains against the law.”