New Forest is now in National Lockdown

On Monday 4th of January Boris Johnson, our Prime Minister, made an announcement.

He said lots more people are getting coronavirus all over the country.

There is a new strain of the virus which is spreading a lot quicker. We must now all stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

I have only extracted the sections involving places of worship.

Please go to https://www.gov.uk/ for the full document.

Summary: what you can and cannot do during the national lockdown

You must stay at home.

The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

Leaving home

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary.

When you can leave home

You must not leave or be outside of your home except where you have a ‘reasonable excuse’. This is the law. The police can take action against you if you leave home without a ‘reasonable excuse’, and issue you with a fine (Fixed Penalty Notice).

You can be given a Fixed Penalty Notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.

A ‘reasonable excuse’ includes:

Communal worship and life events

You can leave home to attend or visit a place of worship for communal worship, to attend a funeral or event related to a death, to visit a burial ground or a remembrance garden, or to attend a wedding ceremony.

You should follow the guidance on the safe use of places of worship and must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble. Weddings, funerals and religious, belief-based or commemorative events linked to someone’s death are all subject to limits on the numbers that can attend.

Funerals

Funerals are allowed with strict limits on attendance, and must only take place in COVID-19 secure venues or in public outdoor spaces unless in exceptional circumstances.

Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people. Linked religious, belief-based or commemorative events, such as stone settings and ash scatterings can also continue with up to 6 people in attendance. Anyone working is not counted in these limits. Social distancing should be maintained between people who do not live together or share a support bubble.

Weddings, civil partnerships and religious services

Weddings and civil partnership ceremonies must only take place with up to 6 people. Anyone working is not included. These should only take place in exceptional circumstances, for example, an urgent marriage where one of those getting married is seriously ill and not expected to recover, or is to undergo debilitating treatment or life-changing surgery.

Weddings and civil partnerships must only take place in COVID-19 secure venues or in public outdoor spaces unless in exceptional circumstances.

Places of worship

You can attend places of worship for a service. However, you must not mingle with anyone outside of your household or support bubble. You should maintain strict social distancing at all times.

You should follow the national guidance on the safe use of places of worship at

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-during-the-pandemic-from-4-july/covid-19-guidance-for-the-safe-use-of-places-of-worship-from-2-december

Category	Tier 1: Medium alert	Tier 2: High alert	Tier 3: Very high alert	Tier 4: Stay at home
Work and business	Everyone who can work from home should do so	Everyone who can work from home should do so	Everyone who can work from home should do so	Everyone who can work from home should do so
Weddings and funerals	15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships, wedding receptions and wakes; 30 for funerals	15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships, wedding receptions and wakes; 30 for funerals.	15 guests for weddings, civil partnerships and wakes; 30 for funerals. Wedding receptions not permitted	Weddings can only take place in exceptional circumstances, and with a maximum of six guests. Funerals can be attended by a maximum of 30 people.
Travelling	Walk or cycle if possible. Avoid travel into tier 3 areas (except where necessary, such as for work, education, medical attention, youth services or caring responsibilities)	Reduce the number of journeys made where possible. Avoid travel into tier 3 areas (except where necessary, such as work, education, medical attention, youth services or caring responsibilities)	Avoid travelling out of the area, other than where necessary such as for work, education, youth services, medical attention or because of caring responsibilities. Reduce the number of journeys made where possible	No travel without reasonable excuse.
Retail	Open	Open	Open	Essential retail only
Places of worship	Open, but cannot interact with more than six people	Open, but cannot interact with anyone outside household or support bubble	Open, but cannot interact with anyone outside household or support bubble	Open, but no interaction with anyone outside household or support bubble
Personal care	Open	Open	Open	Closed
Overnight stays	Permitted, with household, support bubble, or up to 6 people.	Permitted, with household or support bubble.	No overnight stays outside of local area, unless necessary for work, education or similar reasons.	Holidays or overnight stays away from home are not permitted, unless there is a reasonable excuse to do so.
Meeting friends and family	Maximum of six indoors or outdoors, other than single households or support bubbles	No mixing of households indoors, apart from support bubbles. Maximum of six outdoors	No mixing of households indoors, or most outdoor places, apart from support bubbles. Maximum of six in some outdoor spaces (eg parks, sports courts, public gardens)	No mixing of households indoors, or most outdoor places, apart from support bubbles. No more than two people from different households may meet in outdoor spaces (eg parks, sports courts, public gardens)
Large events - elite sport, live performances and business	Open to the public, but limited to 50% capacity or 4000 outdoors / 1000 indoors (whichever is lower). Social contact limits apply	Open to the public, but limited to 50% capacity or 2000 outdoors / 1000 indoors (whichever is lower). Social contact limits apply	Events should not take place; drive-in events permitted
Indoor leisure eg gyms, swimming	Open	Open	Open	Closed
Exercise	Classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but must follow the rule of six indoors. Organised activities for elite athletes, under-18s and disabled people can continue	Classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but cannot take place indoors if there is any interaction between people from different households. Organised activities for elite athletes, under-18s and disabled people can continue	Classes and organised adult sport can take place outdoors, but people should avoid higher-risk contact activity. Group exercise activities and sports indoors should not take place, unless with household or bubble. Organised activities for elite athletes, under-18s and disabled people can continue	Outdoor sports courts, outdoor gyms, golf courses, outdoor swimming pools, archery/driving/shooting ranges, riding centres and playgrounds can remain open for individual exercise, and for people to use with others from the same household, support bubble, or with one person from another household. Organised outdoor sport for under 18s and disabled people will be allowed.
Entertainment	Open	Open	Indoor venues closed	Closed
Education	Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities open. Registered childcare, other supervised activities for children, and childcare bubbles permitted	Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities open. Registered childcare, other supervised activities for children, and childcare bubbles permitted	Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities open. Registered childcare, other supervised activities for children, and childcare bubbles permitted	Early years settings, schools, colleges and universities open. Registered childcare and childcare bubbles permitted
Bars, pubs and restaurants	Venues must be table service only. They must stop taking orders at 10pm and must close by 11pm	Pubs and bars must close, unless operating as restaurants. Hospitality venues can only serve alcohol with substantial meals. Last orders at 10pm and must close by 11pm	Hospitality is closed, with the exception of sales by takeaway, drivethrough or delivery	Hospitality is closed, with the exception of sales by takeaway, drivethrough or delivery
Accommodation	Open	Open	Closed (except with limited exceptions such as work purposes or where people cannot return home)	Closed (except with limited exceptions such as work purposes or where people cannot return home)