England unlocks: What COVID rules are changing from July 19?
July 19 marks the end of most lockdown restrictions in England in 2021 - with changes being made on the legal use of masks, social distancing and mass gatherings.
England is officially lifting almost all of the remaining lockdown restrictions today as the country prepares for life without COVID curbs.
Significant changes are being made to legislation nationwide surrounding the use of face masks, social distancing, mass gatherings, and working from home.
Businesses which have been forced to close since the beginning of the pandemic – such as nightclubs – are also permitted to reopen from July 19.
The end of lockdown comes after an initial delay, which saw the government push its final roadmap step back by one month to buy more time to vaccinate higher numbers of the population.
Masks will no longer be a legal requirement in England / Image: Matteo Jorjoson via Unsplash
COVID case numbers in the UK are at their highest since January – averaging more than 42,000 per day.
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As the country unlocks, experts are predicting that numbers could exceed 200,000 per day in a matter of weeks.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid is now isolating after testing positive for the virus, and whilst close contacts Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak briefly flirted with the idea of dodging isolation as a part of a pilot scheme (where they’d test every day instead of staying at home), the duo have instead decided to isolate – along with more than a half-a-million fellow Brits who have also been told to do so by track and trace.
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The increasing numbers of people being infected and/or urged to quarantine has dampened spirits on what was supposed to be a joyous occasion for the country. But England’s lockdown exit is pressing on regardless – and here is everything that is set to change from today.
Note the below guidance applies to England only. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own regulations.
Are social distancing rules still in place from July 19?
Social distancing will end on July 19 / Image: Gustavo Fring via Pexels
Social distancing recommendations – such as being asked to stay 2 metres apart – are being largely removed from July 19.
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This will mean more people are permitted inside venues – whether that’s bars, restaurants, cinemas or shops.
There will be no more limits on mass gatherings or meeting others, either.
Social distancing rules will remain in place in certain settings – such as hospitals and airports.
Rules for masks, too, are a little bit more complicated. The government has removed the legal requirement to wear face coverings in most places, but has advised people to continue doing so in crowded areas.
On some forms of public transport – like the Greater Manchester Metrolink – face masks remain compulsory beyond July 19.
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More information on face mask rules in Manchester can be found here.
Can I order from the bar after July 19?
No masks or table service will be required in pubs after the end of lockdown / Image: ELEVATE via Pexels
Yes – bar service is back.
Table ordering in the hospitality sector is no longer mandatory, so punters can head back to the bar and order drinks just like in the old days.
Customers will no longer have to download an app or sign in at venues, either.
When are nightclubs opening again? Are festivals allowed after July 19?
After 16 months of closures, nightclubs are finally allowed to reopen on July 19.
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Festivals, too, can proceed as normal.
Mass events such as these may ask people to provide proof of vaccination via the NHS COVID Pass app – upon entry, but this is not a legal requirement.
Can weddings go ahead without restrictions from July 19?
Neither weddings or funerals will have any limits imposed on them after July 19.
Both these types of gatherings can proceed without restrictions on attendances or venue.
Can crowds return to stadiums?
Yes.
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All stadiums – be it sport or music grounds – can operate at maximum capacity once again from July 19.
Should I still work from home?
The government is no longer instructing people to work from home if they can.
Ministers have said they “would expect and recommend a gradual return” to the workplace over the summer.
Can I go on holiday again from July 19?
Rules on flying vary depending on where you’re travelling / Image: Pixabay
Travel requirements will continue to vary depending on destinations.
In most cases, testing will be required at some stage.
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Countries on the green list will have the fewest travel restrictions.
From July 19, passengers coming back to England from nations on the amber list will no longer have to quarantine for 10 days if they have been fully vaccinated. Visitors from France, however, will still need to self-isolate regardless of their vaccine status.
Any passengers travelling from countries on the red list will still have to quarantine in a hotel for 10 days after July 19.
Masks will still be required on many flights.
For more information on travel rules, visit the Gov UK website.
Featured image: SnappyGoat
News
Oasis finally confirm ‘private ballot’ ticket information for reunion tour
Daisy Jackson
Oasis have just announced more information about how tickets will be sold through a ‘private ballot’ for their extra reunion tour dates.
The group added two additional shows at Wembley Stadium after their initial 17 gigs across London, Manchester, Dublin, Edinburgh and Cardiff generated huge demand and sold out in a day.
Oasis and Ticketmaster came under fire though for the use of dynamic pricing, which saw ticket prices shoot up by hundreds of pounds by the time people made it through the online queues.
For these additional reunion tour dates at Wembley, ticket sales will look a little different.
They’ll be using a ‘private ballot’, which will give first dibs to those who missed out on the first ticket sale.
You’ll only be invited to register for the sale if you signed into your Ticketmaster account on Saturday 31 August, and joined a queue for a specific show.
And you’ll only receive an invitation if you DIDN’T manage to bag tickets the first time round.
THEN you’ll be able to register for the actual ballot, which still doesn’t guarantee you a ticket but does at least get you into a (hopefully less lengthy) queue.
“Invitations to enter the private ballot will be sent overnight tonight (Saturday) to eligible fans we have been able to identify.
“If you signed into your Ticketmaster UK account on Saturday, 31st August, and were able to join a queue for a specific show, but didn’t get a ticket-then you may be eligible to take part and will receive an email on how to register for the ballot.
“Keep an eye on the inbox associated with your Ticketmaster account, and don’t forget to check your junkmail.
“Once successfully registered, you will be entered into the ballot for a code for access to the final Wembley on sale.
“Due to the demand for the shows and to avoid last week’s long queues, codes will be strictly limited. Entry to the ballot does not guarantee you will receive a code.
“The ballot is only open to invited fans. You must register with the email to which your invitation was sent and which is registered with your Ticketmaster account.
“All other entries will be discounted. If you do not receive an email then unfortunately you will not be eligible for the ballot.
“You will be automatically discounted from the ballot, even if you go through the registration process.”
Featured image: Simon Emmett
News
Manchester Airport named UK’s worst in annual Which? survey for third year running
Emily Sergeant
Manchester Airport has officially been declared the worst airport in the UK, according to a new survey by Which?… yet again.
The summer travel season may be drawing to a close now, with hundreds of flights having taken off and landed in our region over the last couple of months, but for any Greater Manchester holidaymakers who are still yet to jet off, an annual ranking by consumer choice group Which? has proved to be pretty grim reading.
That’s because several terminals at the UK’s third largest airport have found themselves at the bottom of the list in Which? latest findings.
Manchester Airport has hit back at the survey and defended itself, saying its own passenger surveys suggest people are “much more positive” about the airport, adding that it was “proud to give people in all parts of the North easy and affordable access to nearly 200 different destinations across the world”.
For its annual survey, Which? spoke to nearly 7,000 passengers to gather feedback about their experiences of flying from UK airports over the last 12 months, and asked them to score the airports across 11 categories.
Manchester Airport has been named the worst in the UK for the third year running / Credit: The Manc Group
Some of these categories including seating, staff, toilets, and of course, the queues we all dread at check in, bag drop, passport control, and security.
And just like in both 2022 and again in 2023, it was Manchester Airport Terminal 3 that ranked right at the bottom, receiving the lowest customer satisfaction score of 37%.
Manchester Terminal 1 ranked one place above that with a score of 40%, while Manchester Terminal 2 was a little further up the the list with a score of 51%, and just saw Luton Airport, London Stansted, and Belfast International Airport sandwiched in between it.
According to Which?, some of the complaints it received about Manchester Airport from passengers who responded to the survey this year was that older people struggled with long walks due to travelators being broken since 2021, difficulties with finding a seat, and “horrendous” queues with people apparently being “corralled like cattle”.
As mentioned though, Manchester Airport has slammed Which?’s findings in a formal statement.
The UK’s third largest airport has hit back at the survey results and defended itself / Credit:
Describing the survey as “disappointing to see”, Manchester Airport’s statement reads: “We understand not every experience is perfect and want all passengers to feel able to raise their concerns directly with us. That is why we speak to them on a daily basis, surveying hundreds of people a month to get in-the-moment feedback from a full range of perspectives.
“That is in stark contrast to Which?, which conducted a tiny and unrepresentative survey of its members six months ago, asking them to recollect airport experiences that could have been as far back in time as April 2023.
“Which? fully understands that its readers form a narrow group of passengers whose views cannot in any way be taken to represent those of the travelling public at large, but chooses to promote its survey findings as if they do.”
Manchester Airport says it’s disappointing see Which? “chase cheap headlines” with its “sensational and over-simplified characterisation of airports” and the different roles they play, adding: “To make matters worse, it has printed inaccurate statements about our facilities and security waiting times that paint a more negative picture than reality.