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From Monday 19th July - Government has laid Regulations revoking (most) restrictions

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Watershed

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The Government has laid The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps etc.) (England) (Revocation and Amendment) Regulations 2021 before Parliament.

These Regulations do, as expected, revoke all of the English Coronavirus Restrictions Regulations - apart from the:
  • Self-Isolation Regulations (i.e. the requirement to self-isolate after testing positive or being notified as a close contact)
  • International Travel Regulations (i.e. the requirement to quarantine, undertake tests and fill out forms when arriving from outside the CTA)
  • No. 3 Regulations (see below)
The expiry of the latter is extended to 27 September by the Revocation Regulations. The No. 3 Regulations give local authorities the power to impose restrictions on premises, events or outdoor areas. They also entitle the Government to require local authorities to make or remove such restrictions.

Incidentally, "freedom day" actually begins at 11:55pm on Sunday :)
 
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MikeWM

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The Government has laid The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Steps etc.) (England) (Revocation and Amendment) Regulations 2021 before Parliament.

These Regulations do, as expected, revoke all of the English Coronavirus Restrictions Regulations

Finally!

- apart from the:
  • Self-Isolation Regulations (i.e. the requirement to self-isolate after testing positive or being notified as a close contact)
  • International Travel Regulations (i.e. the requirement to quarantine, undertake tests and fill out forms when arriving from outside the CTA)
  • No. 3 Regulations (see below)
The expiry of the latter is extended to 27 September by the Revocation Regulations. The No. 3 Regulations give local authorities the power to impose restrictions on premises, events or outdoor areas. They also entitle the Government to require local authorities to make or remove such restrictions.

It's hard to work out how much to be concerned by the No.3 regs. Have they been used at all so far?

I note these regulations (or 'un'-regulations :) )also have the usual lie about being too urgent to be approved by Parliament before coming into force :rolleyes:
 

island

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I note these regulations (or 'un'-regulations :) )also have the usual lie about being too urgent to be approved by Parliament before coming into force :rolleyes:
I think these regulations are very urgent indeed :D
 

Watershed

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It's hard to work out how much to be concerned by the No.3 regs. Have they been used at all so far?
It's difficult to know, as there isn't a central register of any restrictions made under those Regs. I don't think they have been used to any notable extent so far, but militant local authorities could use their powers to punish businesses that don't adhere to the government guidance. It's certainly a worrying thing to have on the statute books.

I note these regulations (or 'un'-regulations :) )also have the usual lie about being too urgent to be approved by Parliament before coming into force :rolleyes:
Yes, I think something like 95% of all Covid Regulations have been made under the affirmative, "urgent" procedure. It's a blatant bypassing and usurpation of Parliament. Unfortunately not enough people care.

Even though I am strongly in favour of these Regulations being passed, I maintain that Parliament should be given a chance to vote on them before they come into force - it should be regarded as an inherent part of a healthy democracy. It is doubtful whether Parliament will now have the chance to do.
 

MikeWM

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I think these regulations are very urgent indeed :D

Oh, I agree :) but I don't like abuses of process, even when (in this case) I'm ok with the result.

Even though I am strongly in favour of these Regulations being passed, I maintain that Parliament should be given a chance to vote on them before they come into force - it should be regarded as an inherent part of a healthy democracy. It is doubtful whether Parliament will now have the chance to do.

Yes - and Parliament won't, as the Commons isn't sitting tomorrow.
 

trebor79

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Excellent. Just got to get through tomorrow (and to a lesser extent the weekend) without Boris and Javid caving to the left wing lockdown and mask enthusiasts. I can't wait until my stupid face covering can be consigned to the dustbin, where it belongs. I usually go maskless on trains and explain I am exempt on the very rare occassion someone official has enquired (and told vigilantes to mind their own business), but haven't felt brave enough to make use of my exemption in shops where it's less easy to have a discrete conversation with the door guard, (and in any case I'm in there fore only a few minutes normally so can just about bear it).
I'm sure all this hysteria will subside (aside from the odd nutter of course - I came across someone on twitter claiming she slept in an N95 mask and goggles to "protect" her husband after she was in contact with a positive case) very quickly once people realise going about our normal business isn't some kind of deadly "experiment".
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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My wife has been in a care home since 3rd March and I rang the manager of her care home yesterday to ask what their company policy on visits will be after the announcement by the Prime Minister on Monday afternoon concerning matters after 19th July.

She informed me the Government website advice to care homes was still stating what it said in June, so they cannot make a decision until that website advice has been updated by the Government to conform with what was announced on Monday.
 

brad465

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Excellent. Just got to get through tomorrow (and to a lesser extent the weekend) without Boris and Javid caving to the left wing lockdown and mask enthusiasts. I can't wait until my stupid face covering can be consigned to the dustbin, where it belongs. I usually go maskless on trains and explain I am exempt on the very rare occassion someone official has enquired (and told vigilantes to mind their own business), but haven't felt brave enough to make use of my exemption in shops where it's less easy to have a discrete conversation with the door guard, (and in any case I'm in there fore only a few minutes normally so can just about bear it).
I'm sure all this hysteria will subside (aside from the odd nutter of course - I came across someone on twitter claiming she slept in an N95 mask and goggles to "protect" her husband after she was in contact with a positive case) very quickly once people realise going about our normal business isn't some kind of deadly "experiment".
It doesn't help that the slowing down of cases seems to have sped up again with 48k cases recorded today, 42k yesterday, all just after a week of levelling in the 30,000s.

I remember though lockdown 2 was announced on a Saturday (even though it took another 5 days to take effect), so we have to hope that backbench MPs are really threatening the Government about unilateral decisions with Parliament on this issue.
 

Watershed

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It doesn't help that the slowing down of cases seems to have sped up again with 48k cases recorded today, 42k yesterday, all just after a week of levelling in the 30,000s.

I remember though lockdown 2 was announced on a Saturday (even though it took another 5 days to take effect), so we have to hope that backbench MPs are really threatening the Government about unilateral decisions with Parliament on this issue.
Having now made the Revocation Regulations, it seems very unlikely that the government will backtrack before 11:55pm on Sunday!

That said, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that some or all of the restrictions are reintroduced at a later date, if "it's needed to protect the NHS". The government could claim to have "tried their best" at releasing all restrictions but that they now "reluctantly have to" reintroduce some.
 

30907

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My wife has been in a care home since 3rd March and I rang the manager of her care home yesterday to ask what their company policy on visits will be after the announcement by the Prime Minister on Monday afternoon concerning matters after 19th July.

She informed me the Government website advice to care homes was still stating what it said in June, so they cannot make a decision until that website advice has been updated by the Government to conform with what was announced on Monday.
A lot of detailed advice is still awaited - out of personal and professional interest I checked the weddings and worship links yesterday.
 

trebor79

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It doesn't help that the slowing down of cases seems to have sped up again with 48k cases recorded today, 42k yesterday, all just after a week of levelling in the 30,000s.

I remember though lockdown 2 was announced on a Saturday (even though it took another 5 days to take effect), so we have to hope that backbench MPs are really threatening the Government about unilateral decisions with Parliament on this issue.
I think that's the England/Denmark game effect. One more Euros bump to go.
Having now made the Revocation Regulations, it seems very unlikely that the government will backtrack before 11:55pm on Sunday!

That said, I wouldn't rule out the possibility that some or all of the restrictions are reintroduced at a later date, if "it's needed to protect the NHS". The government could claim to have "tried their best" at releasing all restrictions but that they now "reluctantly have to" reintroduce some.
I suspect the hospitalisation ratio will continue to fall - mainly young people infected in the Euros bumps and interesting the number of unvaccinated people getting infected is falling, all of the case growth for the past 10 days or so has been amongst the vaccinated, and as we know they are extremely unlikely to need extensive hospital care.

Javind already said he expects 50,000 cases by the 19th. So nothing to see here should be the government response to any clamour to u-turn at the eleventh hour.
 

Watershed

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The Government has also laid The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021.

These amend the English Self-Isolation Regulations with effect from the 16 August, with the effect of exempting the following people from self-isolation if notified as a close contact:
  • Those who have received their second vaccine in the UK, at least 14 days before the date of last close contact
  • Those aged under 18
  • Those who have evidence that, "for clinical reasons, [they] should not be vaccinated with any authorised vaccine"
There is no requirement to take a daily test for this to be the case, as was originally mooted. I nevertheless imagine that close contacts will be "strongly encouraged" to take such tests.

Despite these Regulations not taking effect until more than a month's time, and despite them representing the first major step towards discriminating between the vaccinated and unvaccinated, they are still made under the "urgent" affirmative procedure. That is deeply disappointing but quite unsurprising.
 

Failed Unit

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I assume after the 19th the track and trace app can be delete from your phone? Hospitality places won’t be asking for it anymore so I guess if has lost its value.
 

trebor79

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I assume after the 19th the track and trace app can be delete from your phone? Hospitality places won’t be asking for it anymore so I guess if has lost its value.
Never had it in the first place.
I see some pubs and cafes saying they are going to continue with check in and even the absurd "put on a mask to walk to your table" charade. I expect they will rapidly drop that nonsense or suffer vastly reduced turnover.
 

Ediswan

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These amend the English Self-Isolation Regulations with effect from the 16 August, with the effect of exempting the following people from self-isolation if notified as a close contact:
  • Those who have received their second vaccine in the UK, at least 14 days before the date of last close contact
  • Those aged under 18
  • Those who have evidence that, "for clinical reasons, [they] should not be vaccinated with any authorised vaccine"
I would be not at all surprised if some people start unofficially applying this exemption immediately.

There is no allowance for those who have just turned 18 and have not yet been able to get fully vaccinated. Dissapointing. That would have been so easy, just say aged under 18 years and some number of months. (For clarity, I don't know anybody in that position, just years of working with, and trying to fix, IT procedures with poorly handled special cases.)
 

greyman42

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Never had it in the first place.
I see some pubs and cafes saying they are going to continue with check in and even the absurd "put on a mask to walk to your table" charade. I expect they will rapidly drop that nonsense or suffer vastly reduced turnover.
I cannot see any pubs continuing with that policy. Where did you get your information from?
 

Failed Unit

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Never had it in the first place.
I see some pubs and cafes saying they are going to continue with check in and even the absurd "put on a mask to walk to your table" charade. I expect they will rapidly drop that nonsense or suffer vastly reduced turnover.
Yes I have noticed that, it will be interesting to watch if you have 2 pubs next door to each other (like many cities do) which one will be the busier (the one that treats people with respect or the one that enforces masks) Hopefully the former so the later changes its policy.

When I look at my phones battery drain, I will be deleting it to help save the phone power.
 

Skimpot flyer

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I assume after the 19th the track and trace app can be delete from your phone? Hospitality places won’t be asking for it anymore so I guess if has lost its value.
If you ever had it and haven’t had the sense to delete it, then I’m afraid mass compliance with this kind of thing is only encouraging the government in their attempts to create a two-tier society.
 

Watershed

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I would be not at all surprised if some people start unofficially applying this exemption immediately.

There is no allowance for those who have just turned 18 and have not yet been able to get fully vaccinated. Dissapointing. That would have been so easy, just say aged under 18 years and some number of months. (For clarity, I don't know anybody in that position, just years of working with, and trying to fix, IT procedures with poorly handled special cases.)
It would have required a bit of extra drafting, but let's be honest - the government doesn't give a flying fig whether it discriminates against some 18 year olds. They're not exactly likely to vote Tory after all!
 

Jamesrob637

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If you ever had it and haven’t had the sense to delete it, then I’m afraid mass compliance with this kind of thing is only encouraging the government in their attempts to create a two-tier society.

I've had it but it's going on Monday. My masks stay with me for situations in extremis.
 

Watershed

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If you ever had it and haven’t had the sense to delete it, then I’m afraid mass compliance with this kind of thing is only encouraging the government in their attempts to create a two-tier society.
I only ever used it to scan the QR code instead of filling out the T&T form. Much quicker and means you keep the right to choose whether to isolate, if alerted.
 

birchesgreen

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If you use the app you can scan in and then delete your check-in when the coast is clear. Er, apparently.
 

Bishopstone

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Scrolling through a few English TOC Twitter feeds, in response to questions about masks from Monday they are all giving a similarly-worded non-committal response about the matter being under review, and an update will be provided ‘within the next few days’.

Evidently industry-wide discussions with Government remain underway, and I expect the outcome will be ‘You should still wear a mask on public transport’, even if the legislative force behind the messaging is gone.
 

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I'm more nervous over Monday than I was the day the mask mandate came in. I would hope most staff would consider it more than their jobs worth to get arsey with people over masks.

I am expecting to notice that most of those contuing to wear a mask will be women while us blokes will be mostly maskless. Just a theory.
 

Bantamzen

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The things are going I shouldn't worry too much about Monday, if the NHS app has it's way there will be practically nobody going to work by then! From the car industry, meat production through to transport, the Pingdemic (as one newspaper has labelled it this morning) is causing serious chaos across the country. Perhaps this is the new strategy from NHS bosses, force everyone to stay at home to "save the NHS" by pinging almost everyone that ventures outside for more than 10 seconds at a time....

Seriously though, it is concerning that many businesses are still going to be shouting at people about something that should be the individual's choice, its only going to cause more conflict and angst for many.
 

Xenophon PCDGS

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Just let us clarify one recurring matter. Now that the Governmental legal requirements are said to end on 19th July, what is the legal position if any establishment sets their own company-applicable standards of entry to their premises and displays large clearly written posters to that effect at any entrance to their premises stating same. Anyone legally minded on this website thread who can give their view of any law applicable to such a situation.
 

bengley

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Just let us clarify one recurring matter. Now that the Governmental legal requirements are said to end on 19th July, what is the legal position if any establishment sets their own company-applicable standards of entry to their premises and displays large clearly written posters to that effect at any entrance to their premises stating same. Anyone legally minded on this website thread who can give their view of any law applicable to such a situation.
They must still make reasonable adjustments for people who are unable to wear a face covering.
 

duncanp

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...the Pingdemic (as one newspaper has labelled it this morning) is causing serious chaos across the country. Perhaps this is the new strategy from NHS bosses, force everyone to stay at home to "save the NHS" by pinging almost everyone that ventures outside for more than 10 seconds at a time....

Yes, call me a cynical old ***, but I can't help but wonder if the NHS COVID App has been deliberately altered so that it is way too oversensitive. (ie. it pings more people than is strictly necessary, so that these people are bullied into advised to self isolate go into lockdown, despite there being no legal obligation to do so.

That way the return to "normality" after July 19th can be managed. In other words, after a few weeks the NHS COVID App will be discreetly modified so that fewer people are pinged, once case numbers have peaked. (around August according to some predictions)

Interesting to note that a lot of the increase in cases at the moment is amongst young men in their 20s, with infection rates staying broadly flat amongst women in the same age group.

This is probably connected with the football, as has been seen in Scotland, where infection rates are now falling because they were, ahem, knocked out of the tournament earlier than England.

If the same thing happens in England, then infection rates should start to peak in a few weeks time.
 

Bantamzen

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Yes, call me a cynical old ***, but I can't help but wonder if the NHS COVID App has been deliberately altered so that it is way too oversensitive. (ie. it pings more people than is strictly necessary, so that these people are bullied into advised to self isolate go into lockdown, despite there being no legal obligation to do so.

That way the return to "normality" after July 19th can be managed. In other words, after a few weeks the NHS COVID App will be discreetly modified so that fewer people are pinged, once case numbers have peaked. (around August according to some predictions)

Interesting to note that a lot of the increase in cases at the moment is amongst young men in their 20s, with infection rates staying broadly flat amongst women in the same age group.

This is probably connected with the football, as has been seen in Scotland, where infection rates are now falling because they were, ahem, knocked out of the tournament earlier than England.

If the same thing happens in England, then infection rates should start to peak in a few weeks time.
You know I did wonder that after the app was updated a bit back, there could be some substance in it.
 
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