Earlier today, Boris Johnson made some announcements in regards to Tier 4 lockdown in London and the South East – just in time for Christmas.
The Prime Minister announcing another U-Turn – Image via Sky News live feed.
This covers:
- All of London
- Kent
- Buckinghamshire
- Berkshire
- Surrey (excl Waverley)
- Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth, Rother & Hastings
- Bedford, Central Bedfordshire Milton Keynes, Luton, Peterborough
- Hertfordshire
- Essex (excluding Colchester, Uttlesford and Tendring)
If you live in Tier 4 areas, you must stay at home, with limited exemptions. Non-essential retail stores and indoors gyms must close. You should work from home when they can, and should not enter or leave tier four areas. Communal worship may continue.
They go live TOMORROW MORNING, 20th December (00:01).
The restrictions will last for two weeks and will be reviewed on 30 December.
In addition, the whole of Wales is to enter lockdown from 00:01 20th December, with festive plans cancelled for all but Christmas Day.
What about Christmas?
People who are in tier 4 cannot meet anyone from other households at Christmas is the big headline.
For those who reside in tiers one, two and three, the rules allowing up to three households to meet will now be limited to Christmas Day only (25h December). This was previously the 23rd December through 27th December.
Christmas bubbles for those in tiers one to three will not be able to include anyone in tier four. You should only mix if you feel the need to, minimising distance and time in contact.
In tier four, people should not mix with anyone outside their own household, apart from support bubbles.
What about International Travel?
In terms of travel, travel in and out of Tier 4 is not allowed. This includes INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL, except in limited circumstances.
International travel is impacted, with the Prime Minister advising to stay local and should consider if they need to travel aboard, depending on what tier you’re in – except in Tier 4.
Those in Tier 4 areas are being ordered not to stay overnight away from home or travel abroad for holidays
Why?
It seems a new variant of COVID-19 has been identified, which has a higher speed of transmission.
This is going to be hard… for everyone.
For those who had plans for Christmas with loved ones… It’s going to hurt – I’m not going to lie. It means time with loved ones is going to be restricted at best and at worst – you won’t be seeing them over the Christmas period.
And plans that people have put together have to be binned, as we all consider quieter and smaller Christmas’s.
It’s not pleasant… and it’s something that we have to live for this year. If we like it or not.
References:
- BBC News – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55379220
- BBC News – Time from 16:15 onwards https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-55376873
- Sky News – https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-tier-4-lockdown-announced-for-london-and-most-of-south-east-with-christmas-bubbles-cancelled-for-millions-12167367
- Sky News – Tiers – https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-what-are-the-rules-under-the-pms-winter-plan-for-coronavirus-12140352
- Guardian – https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/dec/19/pm-announces-tier-4-covid-curbs-and-curtails-christmas-mixing-in-england
- HM Government, Office of the Prime Minister – https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/prime-ministers-office-10-downing-street
Editors Note: Comments have been disabled for this post.
Welcome to Economy Class and Beyond – Your no-nonsense guide to network news, honest reviews, with in-depth coverage, unique research as well as the humour and madness as I only know how to deliver.
Follow me on Twitter at @EconomyBeyond for the latest updates! You can follow me on Instagram too!
Also remember that as well as being part of BoardingArea, we’re also part of BoardingArea.eu, delivering frequent flyer news, miles and points to the European reader
