Brits to reunite with grandparents as government eases shielding rules
More than 2m vulnerable people will be able to leave their homes for the first time in over three months, the government said today, as Prime Minister Boris Johnson prepares to announce a wider easing of social distancing rules.
Advisory guidance for more than 2.2m people who are currently shielding indoors will be eased from 6 July to match that of the wider population, as virus infection rates continue to fall across the country.
Vulnerable people will be able to meet in groups of up to six people outdoors and form “support bubbles” with another household, the Department of Health and Social Care said today, meaning families will at last be reunited with parents and grandparents following months of lockdown.
From 1 August, shielding advice will be dropped altogether. However, clinically vulnerable people will be encouraged to take reasonable precautions, and will retain their priority for supermarket delivery slots.
The clinically extremely vulnerable — which includes those aged 70 and over, pregnant women, and people with an underlying medical condition — have been unable to leave their homes since the lockdown was introduced on 23 March.
Speaking at the daily Number 10 press conference, health secretary Matt Hancock said he would write to each person on the shielding list, adding that the government would work closely with councils and employers to ensure a smooth transition for the clinically vulnerable.
“My message to employers is crystal clear: please work with us to ease the transition back for shielding employees,” he added. “We expect you to do the right thing.”
It comes as the latest scientific evidence showed that the chances of encountering the virus in the wider community continue to decline, as the rate of infection remains at 0.7 to 0.9 across the country.
On average less than one in 1,700 in UK communities are estimated to have the virus — down from one in 500 four weeks ago.
“The prevalence of the virus in the community is now lower and chances of getting infected are reduced, so we believe it is the right time to relax some of the advice so people can start to regain a degree of normality once more in their daily lives,” said deputy chief medical officer Dr Jenny Harries.
The government today said it will still commit to providing financial support for vulnerable people until the end of July, to give those shielding time to adjust to the new changes.
From August, shielding advice will be dropped altogether, the Department for Health said. However, clinically vulnerable people will be encouraged to take reasonable precautions, and will retain their priority for supermarket delivery slots.
Health secretary Matt Hancock thanked those who have been shielding for months, saying: “I know this has been incredibly tough…This sacrifice has been for a purpose, and I want to thank every single one of you.”
It comes as the PM prepares to announce a wide-scale easing of social distancing measures tomorrow, when he is expected to relax the two-metre rule in favour of new “one-metre plus” guidance, in a bid to boost the economy.
The new rule will permit the public to meet others as close as a metre away, so long as they take precautions such as wearing a face mask or meeting outdoors.
The move is set to take effect from 4 July, and will apply to all venues including shops, restaurants, schools, offices, and parks.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UKHospitality, told City A.M: “As an industry we are in urgent need of clarity and certainty for the reopening of hospitality… Restaurants, pubs, cafes and hotels will gladly welcome and embrace any opportunity to help support the wider health needs of their communities and the objectives of government, and to open their doors to welcome people back.”
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