Newark and Sherwood: What you can do under the third national lockdown
Last night, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a third national lockdown starting from today, writes Elliot Ball.
The latest restrictions are just as tough as those imposed in the first lockdown and are set to continue for at least six weeks.
So, what can and can’t you do under this new lockdown and how does it differ from the previous rules?
Here is a list of rules for England’s third lockdown:
Stay at home
Similar to the March lockdown message, people have been instructed to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.
You can leave home to:
- Get essential supplies like food or medicine
- Go to work or volunteer if it’s impossible to do so from home
- Exercise, which can be your own household or up to one other person from outside your household or bubble
- Attend medical appointments, seek medical care or fleeing the threat of harm or violence
- Provide care or help to a vulnerable person
- For education and registered childcare, if a child is eligible to attend despite closures
- People may also leave home to be with your childcare or support bubble, but are advised to keep it local
Other reasons you may leave the house include:
- To provide emergency assistance
- To be with someone giving birth
- To visit someone who is dying
- To visit a care home, hospital or hospice resident
- To fulfil animal welfare, including going to a vet
- To attend a support group (of up to 15 people)
- To attend communal worship or life events such as weddings and funerals
- To fulfil a legal obligation
- To carry out activity related to buying, selling, letting or renting a property
- To fulfil respite care where that care is being provided to a vulnerable person or a person with a disability
If for any reason someone leaves their house for a reason not deemed ‘necessary’, police will have legal powers to enforce fines and dispersal orders.
The latest information suggests fines will stay at the current level of £200 for a first offence.