Yesterday, the UK government announced that it has moved to Plan B Coronavirus restrictions in England. See BCC’s response to the announcement here. The key measures to note include: From Friday 10 December: The legal requirement to wear a face mask has been extended to most public indoor venues, including theatres and cinemas. There will be exemptions where it is not practical, such as when eating, drinking, exercising and singing. From Monday 13 December: The re-introduction of working from home where possible. Employers were advised to use the rest of week to discuss arrangements with employees. Where employees have to go to their workplace, they are advised to reduce contacts to reduce transmission. From Wednesday 15 December: The NHS Covid Pass will be mandatory for entry into nightclubs and venues where large crowds gather. This includes unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people and any venue with more than 10,000 people. The NHS Covid Pass can still be obtained with two doses of the vaccine, but this will be kept under review as the boosters roll out. Alternatively, a negative lateral flow test can be shown. There would be a small number of exemptions for medical reasons and for those on clinical trials. Businesses can download the NHS Pass Verifier which will scan someone’s vaccine passport and hold the data within the NHS, so removing any barrier or GDPR concern. Daily tests will be introduced for Omicron contacts rather than self-isolation to keep people safe while minimising the disruption to daily life.
