On Saturday evening the Prime Minister announced new restrictions from Thursday 05 November. He advised that Covid-19 cases were rising rapidly across the whole of the UK and in other countries and he must act now to control the spread of the virus.
The new measures will apply nationally for four weeks up to Wednesday 2 December. At the end of the period, the government will look to return to a regional approach, based on the latest data.
Mr Johnson advised that complying with the new measures will help limit the spread of coronavirus, reduce the impact on the NHS and save lives. They will be underpinned by law which will make clear about what you must and must not do from 5 November. The relevant authorities, including the police, will have powers to enforce the law – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
This will all be debated and voted on in Westminster on Wednesday.
Find out how these restrictions may impact on your business:
Contents
2. 2. Staying safe outside the home (Social Distancing)
3. 3. Meeting with family and friends
5. 5. Weddings, civil partnerships, religious services and funerals
7. 7. Going to school, college and university
8. 8. Childcare and children’s activities
9. 9. Protecting people more at risk from coronavirus
10. 10. Visiting relatives in care homes
11. 11. Travel
The new measures will apply nationally for four weeks up to Wednesday 2 December. At the end of the period, the government will look to return to a regional approach, based on the latest data.
Complying with the new measures will help limit the spread of coronavirus, reduce the impact on the NHS and save lives. They will be underpinned by law which will make clear about what you must and must not do from 5 November. The relevant authorities, including the police, will have powers to enforce the law – including through fines and dispersing gatherings.
Commenting on the announcement, Nova Fairbank, Head of Policy for Norfolk Chambers of Commerce said:
There’s no getting around the fact that these new restrictions will be a devastating blow to business communities who have done everything in their power to adapt and operate safely.
“Business and market confidence have been hit hard by the unclear, stop-start approach taken by government over the past eight months, with little end in sight.
“Many firms are in a much weaker position now than at the start of the pandemic, making it far more challenging to survive extended closures or demand restrictions.
“The temporary extension of the furlough scheme will bring short-term relief to many firms, and it responds to Chambers’ call for business support to be commensurate with the scale of the restrictions imposed. While there is no substitute for a functioning economy, the full financial support package for businesses facing hardship, whether through loss of demand or closure, must immediately be clarified and communicated. Sustained help must be available to employers, to the self-employed and to the many businesses and individuals that have not been able to access any of the government’s schemes to date.
“The Government must not squander the time afforded to them through another lockdown to enable mass testing and fix Test and Trace systems – which hold the key to a lasting exit strategy for both public health and the economy.
“Norfolk Chambers will be examining the detail of new restrictions and support carefully over the coming days, together with Chamber business leaders across the whole of the UK. Our business community will judge them on whether they are clear and evidence-based – and on whether businesses are able to see when these restrictions may come to an end.”
