The Prime Minister has announced that England has entered a national lockdown.
However, unlike last March, there is much cause for hope.
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Two vaccines have commenced roll out, and well over1 million people have already received it as at January 5
- By the spring most of our most vulnerable residents will have been vaccinated
- Targeted testing of those without symptoms has commenced and Barnsley have applied for this programme
You can track all coronavirus data here.
Leaving home
You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to:
- shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
- go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
- exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
- meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
- seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
- attend education or childcare - for those eligible
Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early Years settings remain open.
Higher Education provision will remain online until mid February for all except future critical worker courses.
If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay local in the village, town, or part of the city where you live. You may leave your local area for a legally permitted reason, such as for work.
If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. You should not attend work
Meeting others
You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).
You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.
You should not meet other people you do not live with, or have formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.
Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household.
The national lockdown in England
- Summary: what you can and cannot do during the national lockdown
- Detailed guidance on the national lockdown
- When you can leave home
- Exercising and meeting other people
- Support and childcare bubbles
- Where and when you can meet in larger groups
- If you break the rules
- Protecting people more at risk from coronavirus
- Travel
- Going to work
- Going to school, college and university
- Universities
- Childcare
- Care home visits
- Weddings, civil partnerships, religious services and funerals
- Places of worship
- Sports and physical activity
- Moving home
- Financial support
- Businesses and venues
- Businesses and venues which can remain open
The latest announcement from the Chancellor, Rishi Sunak, with high level detail of financial support available.
Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
Follow the guidance
In our region we had seen significant reductions in cases but the new variant can spread much more easily meaning we must be even more careful -and the best way to keep the transmission rate going down is to follow the basic guidance - take note that up to one in three people do not have symptoms when they have the virus.
Whilst 'hands-face-space' will be familiar to you it is still the best way to protect yourself, your friends and family from this highly infectious virus.
- hands – wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds
- face – wear a in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet
- space – stay 2 metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or 1 metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors)
Volunteering and offering help
- How to volunteer
- Join a vaccine research study
- Join a genetic study if you tested positive for coronavirus
- Donate blood plasma if you have tested positive for coronavirus
- Help others safely
- Being an unpaid carer
Other information
Up-to-date Government advice regarding coronavirus can be found here.
If you need medical help, please use the 111 online coronavirus service.