New rules designed to help reverse Wirral's spiralling Covid-19 infection rate came into effect today, but what do they actually mean?

The Government announced on Friday (September 18) that Wirral, along with the rest of Merseyside, has been classfied as an area of intervention and as a result, is now subject to the following restrictions:

  • Residents must not socialise with other people outside of their own households or support bubble in private homes and gardens.
  • Hospitality for food and drink will be restricted to table service only.
  • Late night operating hours will be restricted, with leisure and entertainment venues including restaurants, pubs, and cinemas, required to close between 10pm to 5am.

Residents are also advised to adhere to the following guidance to further reduce rates of infection:

  • Only to use public transport for essential purposes, such as travelling to school or work.
  • Avoid attending amateur and semi-professional sporting events as spectators.

The announcement sparked a wide variety of questions from Wirral residents, seeking further clarity on what the new rules mean for them.

Now Wirral Council has moved to address the most common concerns by pulling together a document that adds some meat to the bone of the new measures.

Here are some of main points.

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What are the household changes?

You must not meet people who do not live with you or are not part of your support bubble, either indoors or outdoors, unless for the specific purposes mentioned below.

People should only come inside your home for specific purposes:

  • Where everyone in the gathering lives together or is in the same support bubble
  • To attend a birth at the mother’s request
  • To visit a person who is dying (the visitor can be someone the dying person lives with, a close family member, friend or, if none of those is visiting, anyone else)
  • To fulfil a legal obligation
  • For work purposes, or for the provision of voluntary or charitable services
  • For the purposes of education or training
  • For the purposes of childcare provided by a registered provider
  • For the purposes of childcare for children under the age of 14 or vulnerable adults, when it is necessary for caring purposes
  • To provide emergency assistance
  • To enable one or more persons in the gathering to avoid injury or illness or to escape a risk of harm
  • To facilitate a house move
  • To provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person
  • To continue existing arrangements for access to, and contact between, parents and children where the children do not live in the same household as their parents, or one of their parents

Can I have someone in my house (or go into someone’s house) to do repairs or other work?

Official or registered tradespeople can go to other people’s homes for work purposes as long as you follow national guidance on how to work safely there.

Can I move home?

Yes.

What is a support bubble?

A support bubble is a close support network between a household with only one adult in the home (known as a single-adult household) and one other household of any size.

Once you are in a support bubble, you can think of yourself as being in a single household with people from the other household. It means you can have close contact with that household as if they were members of your own household.

Once you make a support bubble, you should not change who is in your bubble.

You should not have multiple bubbles.

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Do these measures affect access to education?

No. Schools, colleges and universities remain open and are operating in a COVID-secure way. University students must follow the specific guidance and rules set by their university.

Do these measures affect childcare?

You can continue to use early years and childcare settings, including childminders and providers offering before or after school clubs or other out-of-school settings for children. You can also continue to employ nannies, including those living outside of the region.

Children of parents who are separated can continue to move between households.

People looking after children under the age of 14 or vulnerable adults, can continue to do so when it is necessary for caring purposes. This covers formal and informal arrangements for childcare - but not playdates or parties.

Does my child need to wear a face covering at school?

Unless exempt, in education settings where students in Year 7 and above are educated, including middle schools, face coverings should be worn by staff, visitors and students when moving around in corridors and communal areas.

Parents must wear a face covering when dropping off and picking up children at school, and socially distance from others.

Can my family, friends and guardians assist with childcare?

People looking after children under the age of 14 or vulnerable adults, can continue to do so when it is necessary for caring purposes. This covers formal and informal arrangements for childcare - but not playdates or parties.

The only other people who should help you with childcare in your home are people you live with, people in your support bubble, or registered childcare providers including nannies.

Outside of these measures, friends or family who do not live with you must not visit your home to help with childcare.

Can my child stay in both households of parents who are separate?

Children of parents who are separated can continue to move between households.

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Can I travel outside the area for work or school?

Yes, people living inside and outside of these areas can continue to travel for work or school. Workplaces and schools themselves should also be implementing covid-secure measures.

Can I go to someone’s house in an area not subject to the restrictions?

You should not visit anyone’s home inside or outside of the restricted area (except for your support bubble).

What about public transport and car sharing?

Residents are advised to only use public transport for essential purposes, such as travelling to school or work. Examples of essential travel include: travelling to work, getting essential food or medical supplies, supporting someone who is vulnerable, travelling to and from the homes of others in your support bubble, fulfilling legal obligations, going to an early years or educational setting, or travelling to medical care to avoid illness, injury or harm.

Face coverings must be worn unless exempt.

You are advised not to share a car with those outside your household or support bubble, and to use public transport for essential journeys instead.

Please note that private hire taxis and hackney cabs are not classed as public transport

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Can I still go on holiday?

You can still go on holiday within the UK or abroad, but you should only do this with people you live with (or have formed a support bubble with). You need to follow any rules in the area you visit and be aware of the self-isolation rules when travelling to and from certain countries.

People can visit the region on holiday but must comply with the local restrictions.

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What are the changes for the hospitality venues?

The following must close from 10pm to 5am:

  • pubs
  • bars and restaurants (including hotel dining rooms and members’ clubs)
  • cafes including workplace canteens (but not including cafes or canteens at hospitals, care homes, prisons, establishments intended for the use of naval, military or air force purposes and for providing food or drink to the homeless)
  • social clubs
  • cinemas
  • theatres
  • casinos
  • bingo halls and concert halls
  • amusement arcades or other indoor leisure centres or facilities
  • static/fixed funfairs (indoors or outdoors), theme parks, and adventure parks and activities

During opening hours (5am to 10pm), there should be table service-only, including ordering drinks and food.

As elsewhere in the country, venues must also take details of customers for NHS Test and Trace from 18 September 2020.

Between 10pm and 5am each day hot food takeaways can only operate a delivery service.

Travelling funfairs are also prohibited.

Can I still go to a hospitality venue, like a pub or restaurant, or meet up outdoors with family and friends there who don’t live with me?

Yes, as long as the size of the group does not exceed six - but you need to maintain social distance with people who do not live in your household or support bubble, continue with good hand hygiene and wear a face covering where appropriate.

If this is not possible you should only visit with members of your own household or support bubble. People are advised to only visit COVID-safe premises that are visibly adhering to the guidelines

Why can I visit the pub but not my relative’s house?

This is because the hospitality industry has enhanced measures, such as risk assessments and test and trace, which private homes don’t have.

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What are the changes to playing sports?

Unless formally organised by a sports club or similar organisation, with guidance issued by a sports governing body, team sports should not take place at an indoor or outdoor venue with people who you don’t live with.

You should not be a spectator at any amateur or semi-professional sports events, for example going to watch your child play football on a Saturday morning.

If you need to attend, you must remain socially distanced and in groups of no more than six.

Can I travel to play sport outside of the areas with restrictions?

Yes. Please wear a face covering if using public transport unless exempt.

Can I go to the gym, gym class or a swimming pool?

Yes, as long as these venues have the required COVID-secure risk assessments and guidelines in place. You should stay 2 metres away from other people.

Wirral Globe: Photo: PixabayPhoto: Pixabay

Can I go to a care home?

Wirral’s care homes are closed to non-essential visitors, excluding health care professionals and those involved in end of life care (including family members).

If you are planning to visit relatives in care homes outside of Wirral, check with the care home prior to travelling to ensure that they are still open to visits from family members.

Do the restrictions apply to places of worship?

You may attend a mosque, church, synagogue, temple or other place or worship, but you should socially distance from people outside of your household. This means maintaining a distance of 2 metres, or 1 metre with mitigations (such as wearing face coverings).

If possible, prayer or religious services should take place outdoors.

How long will the measures last?

It started from 00:01 hours on Tuesday, September 22 and will be monitored closely and reviewed regularly. The next steps will depend on the impact the measures have.

For a comprehensive explanation of what the local lockdown measures mean for you, visit the local lockdown page on the Wirral Council website.