Full list of things you can do in Blackburn as Government change ONE piece of official coronavirus advice

Yesterday two million people in eight areas affected by the spread of the Indian variant were left in utter confusion after updated guidance stated they should only travel in and out of their local areas for essential reasons - work, health and education - and also be tested twice a week.

However, following a meeting, public health directors for the eight affected areas issued a joint statement saying they had had it confirmed that there were no travel curbs on people in their boroughs.

On Friday, the updated advice read: 

Avoid travelling in and out of affected areas unless it is essential, for example for work (if you cannot work from home) or education.

Official advice on the Government's website now states:

Wherever possible, you should try to:

• meet outside rather than inside where possible
• keep 2 metres apart from people that you don’t live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don’t live with
• minimise travel in and out of affected areas

Ministers had been accused of trying to bring in ‘local lockdowns by stealth’ by quietly slipping out guidance urging people in Indian variant hotspot areas to restrict their socialising and travel.

The updated advice issued on Friday, which was not law and came without an official announcement, came to light on the government website on Monday evening.

However the U-turn on Tuesday now means that people in Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley are free to travel in and out of their areas, although they are being urged to 'continue to exercise caution'.

Here is the full list of things people in Blackburn with Darwen and Burnley can and cannot do:

Restrictions have been eased following the move to step 3 on May 17.

However we must continue to exercise caution.

You should follow the guidance on what you can and cannot do. 

It is underpinned by law and applies across England.

You should also follow the guidance on how to stop the spread of coronavirus at all times, including if you have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

• You should continue to work from home if you can. When travelling within the UK, you should aim to do so safely and plan your journey in advance.
• You should get a test and follow the stay at home guidance if you have COVID-19 symptoms.
• Gathering limits have been eased. Outdoor gatherings are limited to 30 people and indoor gatherings are limited to six people or two households (each household can include a support bubble, if eligible).

New guidance on meeting friends and family emphasises personal responsibility rather than government rules. Instead of instructing you to stay 2m apart from anyone you don’t live with, you are encouraged to exercise caution and consider the guidance on risks associated with Covid-19 and actions you can take to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Remember that the risks of close contact may be greater for some people than others and in some settings and circumstances, there will be specific guidance that you will need to follow even when you are with friends and family.

• Indoor entertainment and attractions such as cinemas, theatres, concert halls, bowling alleys, casinos, amusement arcades, museums and children’s indoor play areas are permitted to open with COVID-secure measures in place.
• People can attend indoor and outdoor events, including live performances, sporting events and business events. Attendance at these events is capped according to venue type, and attendees should follow the COVID-secure measures set out by those venues.
• Indoor hospitality venues such as restaurants, pubs, bars and cafes can reopen.
• Organised indoor sport can take place for all. This includes gym classes. It must be organised by a business, charity or public body and the organiser must take reasonable measures to reduce the risk of transmission.
• All holiday accommodation can open, including hotels and B&Bs. This can be used by groups of up to 6 or 2 households (each household can include a support bubble, if eligible).
• Funeral attendance is no longer be limited to 30 people, but will be determined by how many people the COVID-secure venue can safely accommodate with social distancing. Limits at weddings, wakes and other commemorative events have been increased to 30 people. Other significant life events, such as bar/bat mitzvahs and christenings, will also be able to take place with 30 people.
• The rules for care home residents visiting out and receiving visitors have changed, allowing up to five named visitors (two at any one time), provided visitors test negative for COVID-19.
• All higher education students are able to access in-person teaching.
• Support groups and parent and child group gathering limits have been increased to 30 people (not including under 5s)
• There is no longer a legal restriction or permitted reason required to travel internationally. A traffic light system for international travel has been introduced, and you must follow the rules when returning to England depending on whether you return from a red, amber or green list country.

If you’re in an area where the new COVID-19 variant is spreading

This new variant is sometimes referred to as the variant first identified in India. It is spreading fastest in:

• Bedford Borough Council
• Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council
• Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council
• Burnley Borough Council
• Kirklees Council
• Leicester City Council
• London Borough of Hounslow
• North Tyneside Council

The new COVID-19 variant spreads more easily from person to person. To help stop the spread, you should take particular caution when meeting anyone outside your household or support bubble.

In the areas listed above, wherever possible, you should try to:

• meet outside rather than inside where possible
• keep 2 metres apart from people that you don’t live with (unless you have formed a support bubble with them), this includes friends and family you don’t live with
• minimise travel in and out of affected areas
• You should also:
• Get tested twice a week for free and isolate if you are positive
• Continue to work from home if you can
• Get vaccinated when you are offered it, and encourage others to do so as well
• Refer to local health advice for your area (linked above)

You should get tested for Covid-19. This includes:

• Arranging to have a PCR test if you have symptoms of Covid-19
• Participating in surge testing in your local area
• Getting regular rapid tests if you do not have symptoms of coronavirus (Covid-19)
• Arranging a testing or managed quarantine package if you plan to travel to red or amber list countries. See further details

You should self-isolate immediately if you have symptoms or a positive test result for Covid-19. There is financial support if you’re off work because of coronavirus.

Keeping yourself and others safe

Face coverings

You must wear a face covering in many indoor settings, such as shops and places of worship, and on public transport, unless you are exempt or have a reasonable excuse. This is the law. 

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you could be at higher risk of severe illness from coronavirus.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, you are no longer advised to shield. However, you should continue to follow the guidance for people who are clinically extremely vulnerable and are advised to continue taking extra precautions to protect yourself, such as limiting close contacts, shopping or travelling at quieter times of the day, keeping rooms ventilated and washing your hands regularly Your employer is required to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure to Covid-19 in the workplace.

If you have been vaccinated against COVID-19

To help protect yourself and your friends, family, and community you should continue to follow all of the guidance on this page even if you’ve been vaccinated against Covid-19.

The vaccines have been shown to reduce the likelihood of severe illness in most people. Like all medicines, no vaccine is completely effective, so those who have received the vaccine should continue to take recommended precautions to avoid infection.

Whilst emerging evidence suggests vaccines are having an impact on transmission, we do not know by how much the vaccine stops Covid-19 from spreading. Even if you have been vaccinated, you could still spread Covid-19 to others, even if you do not display symptoms.