Covid 19 - What you need to know - The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020

The Government have now published new Regulations to enact the changes to ‘Lockdown’ announced by the Prime Minister in his recent address.

The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1st June. Updated guidance to reflect the changes to the restrictions has today been published online.

They amend regulation 4 to permit certain businesses to open for the training of elite athletes. They amend regulation 5 to clarify that places of worship and community centres may be used to provide early years childcare. Regulation 6 is replaced by a prohibition on staying overnight in a place other than where a person lives, without reasonable excuse. Regulation 7 is replaced by more detailed provision on prohibited gatherings, and amendments are made to Schedule 2. Consequential amendments are made to regulation 8 to reflect the amendments to regulations 6 and 7, and transitional and saving provision is made by regulation 3 of these Regulations.

Regulation 6, which restricts peoples movement outside the home, has now been amended to read:

“No person may, without reasonable excuse, stay overnight at any place other than the place where they are living.”

This had previously read:

“During the emergency period, no person may leave or be outside of the place where they are living without reasonable excuse.”

In essence, people are now permitted to be outside for any reason and the restriction now relates to overnight accommodation. All the permitted reasons for staying ‘away’ overnight are listed in the attached regulations (a link can be found above) but include:

• Attending a funeral of a close family member,
• It is reasonably necessary for work purposes, or
• To avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm.

The restrictions in relation to gatherings (regulation 7) has also been relaxed. Again, full details can be found in the attached regulations, but the following is now permitted:

• outdoors, and consists of more than six persons,
• indoors, and consists of two or more persons, or
• the gathering is reasonably necessary for work purposes, or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services

In respect of premises which must remain closed the following have been added as prescribed premises:

• Indoor fitness studios, gyms, swimming pools, bowling alleys, amusement arcades or soft play areas or other indoor leisure centres or facilities including indoor games, recreation and entertainment venues.
• Funfairs (whether outdoors or indoors) theme parks and adventure parks and activities.
• Social clubs.
• Model villages.
• Aquariums and zoos, including safari parks.
• Visitor attractions at farms.
• Indoor attractions** at visitor attractions such as—
• botanical or other gardens, biomes or greenhouses;
• heritage sites or film studios;
• landmarks, including observation wheels or viewing platforms.

** an “indoor attraction” means those parts of a venue, including shops and visitor centres but not including toilets for visitors, which:

1. would be considered to be enclosed or substantially enclosed for the purposes of section 2 of the Health Act 2006 under the Smoke Free (Premises and Enforcement) Regulations 2006; and
2. are, in normal times, open for members of the public to visit for the purposes of recreation, whether or not for payment.”;

The following premises have been removed from the ‘closure’ list and can reopen:

• Outdoor sports courts or amenities, including water sports, stables, shooting and archery venues, golf courses and driving ranges,
• Outdoor markets and
• Showrooms and other premises, including outdoor areas, used for the sale or hire of caravans, boats, or any vehicle which can be propelled by mechanical means.