Ok so let's try and untangle the rules!

[JollyRogerandDiane]

Rules

1. Masks to be worn in all shops and all public transport all the time
   
2. Stay at least 1m away from people at all time (apart from those you live with)
   
3. Single person households can form a 'bubble' with one other household
   
4. If you travel to countries on the 'safe' list you don't have to quarantine when you get home.
   
5. There's nothing to stop you going to countries not deemed safe by the government but you will have to quarantine for two weeks on your return and your travel insurance is likely to be invalid.
   

Rules needing clarification:
Can you meet indoors with another household if you maintain social distancing?
In the newly named areas in Yorkshire, Manchester etc, what are the new rules?
Waitresses/Waiters do or don't need to wear masks? I've been to two restaurants, in one they did, in one they didn't. I know which one I WON'T be going back to.

Have I got this lot right? Please do add to clarification needed list if you are sure you know what you are talking about

[Regulus]

I have issue with 4. You can travel to safe list country's and not quarrantine for two weeks, unless it's suddenly not safe and then you will have to quarrantine, although it's not really quarrantine as you can leave the airport, use public transport to get back and then no-one will check or care if you stick to the measures.

[JollyRogerandDiane]

Completely agree. 4 is ridiculous.

[JollyRogerandDiane]

Actually even more ridiculous is 5.

[Mybrowneyedgal]

I also want to know if social bubbles for single people in the north still exist? It's not very clear.

[MRex]

www.gov.uk/government/publications/coronavirus-outbreak-faqs-what-you-can-and-cant-do

[Frazzled13]

Waiters aren't required by government to wear masks, although they may be required by their employers. Shop staff and transport staff (and I assume cinema staff, museum staff etc) are all exempt from having to wear masks legally.

[Lifejacket]

The Manchester evening news has published an article (I will try to find it) saying you can mix in beer gardens but not in private gardens where the new restrictions are in place?! I.e. How is this safer than going to my grans garden and keeping a distance?

[Lifejacket]

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/whats-on/food-drink-news/beer-garden-rules-finally-explained-18695562

[MRex]

@Lifejacket - they're wrong: www.gov.uk/guidance/north-west-of-england-local-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
Maybe get a paper written by a journalist who reads information before writing an article?

[MRex]

In line with the national guidance, you can continue to meet in public outdoor spaces in groups of no more than 6 people, unless the group includes only people from 2 households. You cannot meet people you do not live within a private garden.

At all times, you should socially distance from people you do not live with – unless they are in your support bubble.

Unless it's your support bubble, you have to keep distance in the beer garden.

[LemonTT]

The issue some people have with point 4 is that they haven’t paid attention to anything but the tabloid headline or social media dribble. That and an inability of some people not to recall anything that happened in Feb or March.

It was always made clear with this, and every other easing measure, could be lifted at any time. The reason is obvious. The disease spreads very quickly. When early warning signs flash, action is needed immediately. Not after a consultation and notice period.

The major failure in easing is with regard to socialising measures. I agree these are contradictory and confusing.

Some pubs and restaurants are clearly allowing people from different households to mix intimately. This should be reviewed and more heavily regulated.

I would prioritise this before household mixing. But that needs to be clearer as well. I don’t know how we get that right without being complicated or confusing. But fundamentally people need to accept indoors socialising is a major source of infection and stop fucking doing it on a regular basis with a wide circle of family and friends.

In terms of workplaces, the government and local authorities need to man up on enforcement. Both parties, left and right, with responsibility for enforcement at national and local level are fucking enforcement up.

[Lifejacket]

@MRex maybe you could take it up with the local councils and police etc who say the same? Please let me know what response you get.

I don't fancy going against them and citing an anonymous poster on mn as all knowing.

[Dadnotamum72]

Isn't it still 2 mtrs or 1+

[MRex]

@Lifejacket - you don't need any reference to me, I've linked you to the official advice and then quoted the relevant bit. It's amazing that you know exactly what your local council and police are saying yet can't open one government link and read it for the actual information.

[EmilyDickinson]

*Rules

1. Masks to be worn in all shops and all public transport all the time*
   

Except by the people working there who follow the Covid secure measures set by their employers which may or may not include wearing a mask.
Masks also to be worn in museums, art galleries and cinemas I think?

2. Stay at least 1m away from people at all time (apart from those you live with)
Stay at least 2m away from all people at all times (apart from those you live with). Where this is not possible stay 1m or more away from all people and take additional mitigating steps (eg, mask, hand washing, meeting outside, facing away from each other)

3. Single person households can form a 'bubble' with one other household
Single adult households. It can be one adult plus children under 18. You can’t change the bubble once formed.

4. If you travel to countries on the 'safe' list you don't have to quarantine when you get home.
Unless they change the rules while you’re on holiday. I’m a bit unclear whether travel outside the U.K. is discouraged or not?

5. There's nothing to stop you going to countries not deemed safe by the government but you will have to quarantine for two weeks on your return and your travel insurance is likely to be invalid.
Seemingly no enforcement of quarentine though?

*Rules needing clarification:
Can you meet indoors with another household if you maintain social distancing?*
I think the rule is you can meet one other household or up to six people (can be from other households) indoors as long as 2m distancing is maintained at all times. Unless you live in a palace I think this is totally unrealistic.

In the newly named areas in Yorkshire, Manchester etc, what are the new rules?
You can no longer meet people not in your household indoors. This includes a private garden, meeting in a pub or restaurant. You can still meet members of your bubble (if you are in one) as they are your “household” for this purpose. You can still meet members of other households in an outdoor public space eg a park.

Waitresses/Waiters do or don't need to wear masks? I've been to two restaurants, in one they did, in one they didn't. I know which one I WON'T be going back to.
They have to follow the Covid secure requirements of their workplace. These may vary. I agree with you though. I don’t understand why they aren’t the same for all restaurants.

[Lifejacket]

@MRex maybe you should read the updated guidance and how it applies. You can meet upto five people from other households in outdoor public places. I can't believe you're incapable of checking before posting. Keep going it's amusing.

[BlackeyedSusan]

well, as we don't all agree on what you can and can't do, one can only conclude that the guidance is not being communicated clearly in a way people understand.

[MRex]

@Lifejacket - the only thing I posted was a direct copy and paste from the link that I attached, which is the advice just issued that's specific rules for greater Manchester local area. Have you thought about opening the link yet?

[EmilyDickinson]

I think that the rules are unclear, inconsistent and poorly communicated. In addition I don’t think that an understanding of which activities are most risky has been clearly communicated so that people can risk assess confidently for themselves. I fear this is because some of the government’s instructions eg go back to the office even if you can work from home and eat out to help out, would look questionable.

I thought I understood the rules but still did poorly on the quiz below.

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/01/quiz-how-well-do-you-understand-the-uks-coronavirus-lockdown-restrictions

[KetoPenguin]

It's hands, face, space, and get a test hth - Boris

[Lifejacket]

@MRex funnily enough I'd already read them. The MEN is correct, see screen shot. You can meet in a beer garden but not a private garden. Just for ref; your comment "@Lifejacket- they're wrong:www.gov.uk/guidance/north-west-of-england-local-restrictions-what-you-can-and-cannot-do.
Maybe get a paper written by a journalist who reads information before writing an article?"

[MRex]

The quiz has questions on specific rules in England, Wales, Scotland, NI, Leicester - designed to make most people fail as they will only know their own local area guidance. (If that, some people seem uninterested in finding out.)

[lljkk]

the rules will change soon

[MRex]

@Lifejacket - you've copied the missing bit right there, as I quoted for you before. At all times, you should socially distance from people you do not live with – unless they are in your support bubble

Social distancing is not included in the article, you're arguing it isn't there while actually quoting it. It's very important:

1. Social distancing in beer garden
   
2. Article saying you can hang out in a beer garden with others and not mentioning social distancing.
   If you still can't understand the difference between 1 and 2, you aren't safe to be let out in public.