On 2nd December the government is reintroducing the Tier system at a regional level. These will be slightly tighter than the previous tiers in order to prevent a return to growing infections. The government is committed to ensuring the right levels of intervention in the right places to manage outbreaks, suppress the virus and keep R below 1. I will do whatever I can to push for a district level approach which should see Ryedale and Hambleton in Tier 1 or 2.
Further information about which Tier you live in will be announced on Thursday November 26th and will come into effect at 1 minute past midnight on December 2nd.
Common rules across all Tiers
In all three Tiers you:
- must wear a face covering in most indoor public settings, unless they have an exemption
- should follow the rules on meeting others safely
- should attend school or college as normal, unless they are self-isolating. Schools, universities, colleges and early years settings remain open in all tiers
- should walk or cycle where possible, plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes when travelling
- must follow the gathering limits at their tier except for in specific settings and circumstances. These exemptions are detailed at the end of this guidance
Care homes
Visits can take place with arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods, and window visits. Regular testing will be offered to up to 2 family members or friends per resident by Christmas, which, when combined with other infection-control measures such as PPE, will support indoor visits with physical contact. Detailed guidance will be published shortly.
Businesses and venues which can remain open include:
- essential and non-essential retail, including indoor and outdoor markets and car boot sales
- certain leisure and sporting facilities such as gyms, sports courts and facilities, leisure centres, fitness and dance studios, golf courses, swimming pools, riding centres, outdoor playgrounds – subject to relevant social contact rules in each tier. Indoor group activities and classes should not take place at tier 3
- personal care and close contact services such as hairdressers and barbers, beauty salons, tattoo parlours, nail salons, spas and beauty services, massage parlours and tanning salons
- public buildings, such as libraries, community centres and halls. They should not host events for private hire, such as birthday parties or most other social activities in tier 3
- allotments, recycling and waste centres, public toilets, car parks
- essential public services such as the NHS and medical services, courts, and jobcentre plus sites
- places of worship – communal worship can now resume, subject to relevant social contact rules in each tier
All businesses and venues that are open are expected to follow COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers
Working from home
Everyone who can work from home should do so. Where people cannot do so including, but not limited to, people who work in critical national infrastructure, construction, or manufacturing they should continue to travel to their workplace. Public-sector employees working in essential services, including education settings, should continue to go into work where necessary
Details of the rules for individual Tiers can be found here:
Tier 1 Medium
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know#medium-alert
Tier 2 High
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know#high-alert
Tier 3 Very High
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know#very-high-alert
Exemptions from gatherings limits in all tiers
- as part of a single household, or a support bubble
- for work or providing voluntary or charitable services, including in other people’s homes
- for childcare, education or training – meaning education and training provided as part of a formal curriculum
- for supervised activities provided for children, including wraparound care (before and after-school childcare), groups and activities for under 18s, and children’s playgroups
- for formal support groups, and parent and child groups – up to 15 people aged 5 and older
- to allow contact between birth parents and children in care, as well as between siblings in care
- for arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents or guardians
- for prospective adopting parents to meet a child or children who may be placed with them
- for birth partners
- to attend a funeral – with no more than 30 people present – or a commemorative event such as a wake for someone who has died – with no more than 15 people present
- to see someone who is terminally ill or at the end of life
- to attend a wedding or civil partnership – with no more than 15 people present
- to provide emergency assistance
- to avoid injury or illness, or to escape a risk of harm
- to fulfil a legal obligation, such as attending court or jury service
- to provide care or assistance to someone vulnerable or to provide respite for a carer
- to facilitate moving home
