As draconian lockdown restrictions are eased as part of the latest step in Boris’ roadmap, here is a full rundown of what you can do from today (Monday) – including going inside other people’s homes for the first time in 2021.
The Isle of Wight’s tourism season finally gets underway proper from today as the easing of restrictions in England allow for tourists to really enjoy everything the Island has to offer, with just social distancing and face masks now standing in the way of life returning back to normal for most.
You can now enjoy a meal at your favourite restaurant inside, or perhaps catch the latest film at the cinema. You can also have a flutter on the fruites or perhaps watch a performance at the local theatre.
With the vaccination programme excelling better than anyone could have hoped – with over 75% of the Island vaccinated with at least 1 dose – it’s hard to see how lockdown restrictions could ever return, meaning a brighter 2021 for Islanders and the businesses who have been struggling over the past 14 months.
As of today (17th May), the following rules are applicable:
Socialising
• You can meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people
• You can meet indoors as a group of 6 – or a larger group if just 2 households
• Indoor hospitality can re-open indoors but table service must be provided
• Social distancing scrapped with close family and friends but it’s down to personal choice, including whether to hug
• Up to 30 people can attend support groups, or a parent and child group – children under 5 do not count though
• Those living in care home residents can have up to 5 named visitors
Entertainment and Sport
• Indoor entertainment such as cinemas, museums and children’s play areas can re-open
• Outdoor performances and sporting events with a maximum capacity of 4,000 people or 50% capacity, whichever is lower
• Theatres, concert halls and conference centres can re-open with indoor performances/sporting events allowed a capacity of 1,000 people
• Indoor organised adult sport and exercise classes can resume
• Saunas and steam rooms can re-open
Weddings and Funerals
• Up to 30 people can attend weddings, wedding receptions and other life events – but no dancing
• Funerals are permitted to have as many people as can safely be accommodated within the venue
Education
• Children and staff no longer have to wear face coverings in classrooms or communal areas
• Twice-weekly testing to continue in educational establishments
• University students can return to campus for in-person teaching (with testing)
Holidays/Travel
• Hotels, B&Bs and other types of accommodation can fully re-open
• Groups of up to 6 people – or 2 households – can go on holiday together
• Foreign travel permitted to certain countries and others with self-isolation, but not recommended
All the non believers will be out in force then, trying to break even the limited restrictions…. here come the exemption “Siggerette” brigade.
“it’s hard to see how lockdown restrictions could ever return” Did you write that in all seriousness IE? Indian variant? And any other more virulent strain that shows itself? etc etc
I was expecting it to be ‘party central’ in Newport tonight but walking past Hogshead and the Slug at 8.30pm, they both looked dead and empty. So either people had already been and gone or people aren’t that keen to get out as the news etc predicted or perhaps other places were busy and just not those two pubs? I was surprised.
Personally, I am pleased to see the lifting of lockdown and social restrictions. We have all been living under sufferance for well over a year now, existing, in affect, as though we’re all in an open prison. I know very well that this Covid virus is certainly out there, but a lot of us have been vaccinated now. Anyone who is still terrified of catching it, and I know full well some people are medically vulnerable, have the choice to stay away from others. We have been living with the flu virus for years, we all need to live with Covid too, but shouldn’t mean we all need to be locked up forever more!
Open prison? Well I expect many people have found that they have saved money by not going out for the sake of it.
Whilst I am pleased that restrictions are being lifted, I am sad at how people have been so self serving whilst restrictions have been in place, taking vectors of infection shopping, too the I do not need a mask because I have a lanyard; this makes me angry as those who have a genuine reason not to wear a face covering are made to feel guilty. These self serving people are easy to spot as they have no respect to other shoppers or staff, a point in case was the self serving couple in ASDA when checking out leaning in to talk to cashier WHY!