United Kingdom: COVID-19 National Strategy

UK Government Covid Website:
https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

UK COVID-19 National Strategy: Year-End Lockdown

“In response to reports that a new variant is circulating in England, the South East and London were placed into newly created Tier 4 restrictions, in which household mixing was stopped (apart from meeting with one person outside for a walk), restaurants and shops were closed. Households were asked not to meet on Christmas day. Households in Tiers 1-3 are only able to mix on Christmas day and not from 23rd -27th December as previously announced.”

Source: COVID-19 Health System Response Monitor. A project of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, the European Commission, and the World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. From the web at https://www.covid19healthsystem.org/mainpage.aspx, last accessed Dec. 30, 2020.

UK COVID-19 National Strategy: Tier System

“The second national lockdown in England ended on Wednesday 2nd December and was replaced by a new regional three Tier system, which strengthens the previous Tier system prior to lockdown. Areas are placed into a tier based on 5 key epidemiological indicators:

“• case detection rates in all age groups
“• case detection rates in the over-60s
“• the rate at which cases are rising or falling
“• positivity rate (the number of positive cases detected as a percentage of tests taken)
“• pressure on the NHS, including current and projected occupancy

“Under Tier 1: Medium Alert, people must not socialise in groups of more than 6 indoors and outdoors, pubs and restaurants can only provide table service and must stop serving at 10pm, weddings (up to 15 people) and funerals (up to 30 people) can continue, outdoor sport is permitted and performances, shows, spectator sports and business events can be attended by up to 4000 outdoors and 1000 indoors. In Tier 2: high alert areas, additional rules include no mixing indoors between different households outside of support bubbles, only socialising with up to 6 people outdoors, pubs can only operate if serving food, and performances, shows, spectator sports and business events can be attended by up to 2000 outdoors and 1000 indoors. Additional rules in Tier 3 areas include: hospitality, non-essential retail and entertainment venues must close, people must not mix with other households indoors or outdoors, except up to 6 people in specified outdoor spaces. Exemptions were made in each case to support the vulnerable to access childcare support, for children to continue to go to school in all tiers and for people to provide care at the end of life and visit residents in care homes through Perspex screens or through windows.

“Full details of Tier restrictions can be viewed here: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-restriction-tiers-what-you-need-to-know“

UK COVID-19 National Strategy: Job Retention Scheme

“Update 5th November 2020

“The Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) that was due to end in October has been extended until 31st March 2021 in light of tighter COVID-19 restrictions. Under the scheme, furloughed employees will receive 80% of their usual salary up to £2500 per month. The scheme will be reviewed in January.

“The government also announced on October 5th a £238 million scheme for jobseekers to claim an allowance.

“Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/extension-to-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme/extension-of-the-coronavirus-job-retention-scheme and
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-54412574“

UK COVID-19 National Strategy: England: Second Wave Restrictions

“The Prime Minister has announced that a month-long lockdown will be implemented in England from 5th November to 2nd December in light of rapidly rising COVID infections and hospital admissions. Under the new lockdown, people will be required to stay at home except for education, work that cannot be done at home, exercise, medical reasons, shopping for essentials, or to care for others. Support bubbles for people living alone are permitted. All non-essential shops and pubs and restaurants must close except for takeaway food, weddings and civil partnerships are not allowed and funerals can only be attended by 30 people. Schools, colleges, universities and nurseries will remain open. Visits to care homes are also permitted provided COVID secure measures are in place such as use of floor-to-ceiling screens, visiting pods, or outdoor or window visits.

“Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2020/1200/pdfs/uksi_20201200_en.pdf?utm_source=hootsuite&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=post

UK COVID-19 National Strategy: Scotland: Second Wave Restrictions

“Scotland has implemented a new five-tier system for regional Covid restrictions based on the number of cases per 100,000 people, the ratio of positive test results, projections of new cases and the capacity of local hospitals and ICUs. The following regional restrictions will apply:

”  • Level 0 nearly normal: allows indoor meetings of a maximum of 8 people from 3 households and 15 people from 5 households outdoors;
”  • Level 1 medium: allows indoor meetings of a maximum of 6 people from 2 households
”  • Level 2 high: no indoor meeting of different households; 6 people from 2 households can meet outdoors and in hospitality settings; pubs, bars, restaurants can only sell alcohol with a main meal and until 8pm
”  • Level 3 very high: alcohol sales not permitted indoors or outdoors. Cafes, pubs, restaurants must close at 6pm and serve only food and non-alcoholic drinks
”  • Level 4 lockdown: all non-essential shops and services closed

“Schools will stay open at all levels. All of the country’s 32 local authorities are currently in tiers 1-3.

“Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518“

UK COVID-19 National Strategy: Wales: Second Wave Restrictions

“Wales has ended its two-week ‘fire-break’ lockdown. Two households are now able to form a bubble and can meet inside, up to 15 people can meet for organised activities indoors and 30 outdoors, and there are no more travel restrictions in Wales. People can only travel to England for essential purposes.”

UK COVID-19 National Strategy: Physical Distancing, Facility and Business Closing

“Initially, all physical distancing was recommended rather than mandatory, except for quarantine measures (see next section). By this stage in the UK it had been 15 days since the 100th case had been confirmed. For comparison, the same measures were implemented some 9 days after the 100th case in Germany and around 14 days after the 100th case in the US.

“On Monday 16th March 2020, there was a blanket recommendation for the public to stay at home and avoid mass gatherings, public transport and close contact with persons, particularly individuals who were considered vulnerable, (which was defined as those eligible for a seasonal influenza vaccine i.e. those over 70 years of age, those with chronic conditions, pregnant women), who were also requested to stay at home in isolation for the foreseeable future and restrict non-essential visits (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-on-shielding-and-protecting-extremely-vulnerable-persons-from-covid-19). Although restrictions on mass gatherings were not formally implemented at this time, sports bodies and entertainment venues unilaterally decided to suspend such events anyway. On 20th March 2020 all pubs restaurants and cafés were asked to close for all but takeaway food sales.

“Schools, colleges and nurseries in the UK were asked to close from 23rd March 2020, but cover was provided for children whose parents are keyworkers (to enable functioning of the health and social care services, transport and utilities as well as food supply), children with disabilities (to ensure continuity of care) and those children considered to be vulnerable such as those who are eligible for free school meals.

“From 24th March 2020, non-essential retail outlets were closed (excluding supermarkets and pharmacists etc) and physical distancing became mandatory for everyone with people required to stay at home, except for very limited purposes such as one form of exercise per day, essential work that cannot be done at home and shopping for food or collecting medicines. Gatherings of more than two people were banned in public for a minimum period of three weeks. Relevant authorities, including the police, were granted powers to enforce these measures through fines and dispersing gatherings.”

Health Systems Facts is a project of the Real Reporting Foundation. We provide reliable statistics and other data from authoritative sources regarding health systems in the US and several other nations.

Page last updated Jan. 5, 2021 by Doug McVay, Editor.