December 2021 COVID Plan B Restrictions

On 8 December The Government announced that it is introducing further COVID-19 restrictions for England broadly in line with the ‘Plan B’ announced in their Autumn/Winter Plan on 14 September 2021.

What was announced?

1. From Friday 10 December face coverings will become mandatory in most indoor public venues. There will be exemptions for some settings including;

• Restaurants, cafés and canteens
• Bars and shisha bars
• Gyms & exercise facilities
• Photography studios
• Nightclubs, dance halls and discotheques;

2. From Monday 13 December office workers will be asked to work from home where possible;

3. COVID certification will be mandatory in certain venues from Wednesday 15 December. The NHS COVID Pass which (for the time being) will remain available to individuals who have had 2 does of the vaccine, will be required as a condition of entry into the following places:

• nightclubs, dancehalls and discotheques;
• other late night dance venues that are open between 1am and 5am, serve alcohol during this time, have a dancefloor (or designated space for dancing), and provide music, whether live or recorded, for dancing;
• indoor events with 500 or more unseated attendees, where those attendees are likely to stand or move around for all or part of the event, such as music venues with standing audiences or large receptions;
• outdoor events with 4,000 or more unseated attendees, where those attendees are likely to stand or move around for all or part of the event, such as outdoor festivals; and
• any events with 10,000 or more attendees indoor or outdoor, such as large sports and music events.

4. The Government has also suggested that they are looking to replace self-isolation with daily testing for some contacts of people who have tested positive COVID-19. However, until such a time, current rules continue to apply and individuals must self-isolate if instructed to do so by NHS Test and Trace.

If you have any queries regarding the announcements please do not hesitate to call us and speak to a member of the team on 03332005153 or contact us using our online form here.