On Saturday night, the Prime Minister announced a national ‘lockdown’, starting Thursday 5th November, ending Wednesday 2nd December. The 3 Tier Alert system has been temporarily suspended. 

Parliament still has to approve the new restrictions but here are the key headlines: 

1) You must stay at home except for 

  • Work – if you cannot work from home 
  • Education and childcare
  • Shopping for essentials 
  • Exercise 
  • Medical appointments 

2) Indoors including private gardens

You must not mix with people outside your household or support bubble

Exceptions 

You may go into someone else’s residence 

  • To carry out emergency work (eg electricians, plumbers)
  • For childcare 
  • For provision of care to a vulnerable person 
  • To visit as a volunteer
  • To assist someone to escape injury or harm

3) Outdoors 

Your household may go out for daily exercise or to visit public places with your support bubble OR 1 person from another household.   Playgrounds can stay open. 

4) Certain businesses must close including:

  • Shops selling non-essential items 
  • Pubs, bars and restaurants – takeaways and restaurants offering deliveries or click & collect can remain open 
  • Indoor and outdoor leisure facilities eg gyms, swimming pools
  • Entertainment venues eg cinemas, museums, casinos
  • Personal care facilities eg hair salons, nail bars

5) Ceremonies 

Funerals

Maximum of 30 people attending the funeral 

Maximum of 15 people attending any post-funeral activity eg setting headstone, scattering ashes

Weddings & civil partnerships

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies are not allowed to take place 

Places of worship are closed for collective worship

6) Travel & transport 

  • You should not travel outside your local area except for specified purposes (see above)
  • You should try to avoid public transport. If you use public transport, you must wear a face covering unless you have a medical exemption
  • International travel is not allowed except for work or in emergencies
  • If you are already on holiday or out of your local area, you do not have to return immediately but you must observe the new rules

7) Furlough scheme extended

The new Job Support Scheme that was due to replace the furlough scheme has been temporarily suspended.  The furlough scheme will be extended.  The Government will pay 80% of wages for employees who cannot work capped at £2,500 per month; employers must pay NI & pension contributions. 

8) Aged 60+ or clinically vulnerable

The Government is NOT asking you to shield again. You are advised to follow the rules carefully, and to limit your contact with people outside your household or support bubble. 

Tier 2 Alert rules continue until Thursday this week – then national lockdown starts as long as Parliament approves.

When lockdown end on 2nd December, the two options possible are:  

  • We revert to the Tier system 
  • The national lockdown is extended 

The transmission rate (‘R’) must go back below 1. It is currently 1.4 in Birmingham. 

Summary: 

How you can help bring ‘R’ down

  • Key messages from Birmingham Director of Public Health Dr Justin Varney

[1] Tests

Test numbers have dropped in Birmingham. Dr Varney urges people to get tested. 

Book online or call 119

https://self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk/antigen/condition

The NHS test is free if you have any of the Covid-19 symptoms: new persistent dry cough; fever; loss of smell or taste 

[2] Educational settings 

Dr Varney says there is little evidence at the moment that the virus is being transmitted within educational settings – this is why the Government has not ordered school or university closures

[2.1] University cases are mostly linked to halls of residence and shared accommodation, not the universities 

[2.2] Primary school cases are mostly linked to parents gathering outside schools, children’s parties and play dates

[2.3] Secondary school cases are mostly linked to teenagers socialising after school

[3] Face covering

Dr Varney recommends covering your face when you are in any enclosed space with somebody outside your household or support bubble

 

新冠疫情– 最新政府信息

英国首相在星期六晚上宣布为期1个月的全国“封锁”,从11月5日星期四开始,至12月2日星期三结束。 现有的3级疫情警戒级别系统暂时暂停执行。

新的限制措施仍须议会批准,以下是主要的内容:

1)除以下特殊原因外,您必须待在家中  

  • 工作–如果您无法在家远程办公 
  • 上学或儿童看管服务 
  • 购买生活或医疗必需品  
  • 外出锻炼身体
  • 看医生或有医疗预约

2)室内,包括私家花园

您不可以与您居所以外的人或同一社交支持泡泡以外的人聚集 

可豁免的特殊情况

您可以进入到他人的住所 

  • 提供紧急维修服务(例如电工,水管工)
  • 提供儿童看管服务 
  • 为弱势群体提供照顾
  • 以志愿者的身份探访或提供帮助 
  • 帮助某人逃离受伤或被伤害的情形

3)户外

您和您同住的家人可以与属于同一支持泡泡成员,或1位来自另一家庭的人一起外出锻炼身体或到公共场所。公共运动场所保持开放。

4)某些商业场所必须关闭,包括:

  • 出售非必需品的商店
  • 酒馆,酒吧和餐馆–提供送餐或取单服务的外卖店和餐馆可以继续营业
  • 各种室内和室外休闲场所,例如健身房,游泳池
  • 娱乐场所,例如电影院,博物馆,赌场
  • 提供个人护理的场所,例如美发沙龙,美甲店

5)仪式

葬礼

最多可以有30人参加葬礼仪式

最多可以有15人参加任何葬礼仪式后的活动,例如设置墓碑,撒骨灰

婚礼&伴侣仪式

婚礼或伴侣仪式将不允许举行

进行集体礼拜的宗教场所将关闭

6)旅行和交通

  • 除特殊原因以外,您不可以去本地以外的地区旅行(请参阅上文)
  • 您应当尽量避免使用公共交通工具。 如果您需要使用公共交通工具,必须戴上口罩,除非您有医疗豁免。
  • 除工作或紧急情况外,您不允许国际旅行
    • 如果您已经在度假或不在您所在的地区,您不必立即返回,但必须遵守新的规定。

7)“职位保留计划”将被延长

原本即将推出新的 “就业支持计划” 暂时暂停执行,之前实施的“职位保留计划”将被延长。政府将为无法工作的雇员支付80%的工资,每月上限为2500英镑; 雇主必须支付员工国民保险和退休金。

8)60岁以上或临床虚弱人群

政府不会要求您再次居家屏蔽,但建议您认真遵守新的措施,并限制与您家庭以外或支持泡泡以外的人接触。

疫情警戒级别第2级的所有措施将一直生效到本周四,当议会批准全国封锁的措施后,新的措施就开始在全国实行。

到12月2日全国封锁结束时,将可能有两个选择:

  • 恢复到疫情警戒级别系统
  • 全国封锁继续延长

新冠病毒的传染率(R值)必须降到1以下。伯明翰目前R值为1.4。 

总结:

您怎样可以帮助降低传染率“ R值”

  • 来自伯明翰公共卫生总监Justin Varney博士的重要信息

[1] 测试

伯明翰的做新冠测试的人数有所下降。Varney博士敦促人们进行测试。

在线预订或致电119

https://self-referral.test-for-coronavirus.service.gov.uk/antigen/condition

如果您有任何新冠的症状,比如新的持续干咳、发热、嗅觉或味觉丧失,NHS的测试是免费的。

[2] 教育院校

Varney博士说,目前几乎没有证据表明新冠病毒在院校环境中传播,这就是政府未下令关闭学校或大学的原因。

[2.1] 大学确诊案例大多与学生宿舍和合住公寓有关,而不是大学教学场所

[2.2] 小学确诊案例大多与家长们在学校外的聚集有关,以及孩子们参加校外的聚会和活动日有关

[2.3] 中学案例大多与青少年放学后社交互动有关

[3] 戴口罩或面罩

Varney博士建议当您与您家人以外或支持泡泡以外的人士,一起在在任何密闭/室内空间中,请务必戴口罩或面罩。