Today the Government have announced that Essex will be moving from Tier 3: Very High Alert to Tier 4: Stay at Home, which means Tier 4 local restrictions will apply to all Castle Point constituents. The new rules will come into effect from the beginning of Sunday 20 December.
Tier 4: Stay at Home
If you live in a Tier 4 area, you must follow the rules below. This means that you cannot leave or be outside of the place you are living unless you have a reasonable excuse. You cannot meet other people indoors, including over the Christmas and New Year period, unless you live with them, or they are part of your support bubble. Outdoors, you can only meet one person from another household.
To view the Tier 4 rules in full, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tier-4-stay-at-home. For Summary of Tier 4 rules, please read below:
Meeting friends and family
No household mixing, aside from support bubbles and two people meeting in public outdoor spaces.
Bars, pubs and restaurants
Hospitality closed, aside from sales by takeaway, drive-through or delivery.
Retail
Essential shops can open. Non-essential retail must close and only open for click and collect delivery.
Work and business
Everyone must work from home unless they are unable to do so.
Education
Early years settings, schools colleges and universities will open during term time. Registered childcare, other supervised activities for childcare purposes, and childcare bubbles permitted.
Indoor leisure
Closed.
Accommodation
Closed (with limited exceptions).
Personal care
Closed.
Overnight stays
You must NOT stay overnight away from home. Limited exceptions apply.
Weddings and funerals
Funerals of up 30 people permitted. Wakes and other linked ceremonial events can continue in a group of up to six. Weddings of up to six can continue in exceptional circumstances.
Entertainment
Indoor entertainment closed. Some outdoor attractions may remain open.
Place of worship
Open for private prayer and communal worship, but cannot interact with anyone outside your household or support bubble.
Travelling
You must stay at home and only travel for work, education or other legally permitted reasons. If you must travel, you should stay local and reduce the number of journeys you make. You must not leave a Tier 4 area or stay overnight away from home. Residents in Tiers 1 to 3 should not enter Tier 4 areas. Do not travel abroad if you live in a Tier 4 area unless an exemption applies.
Exercise
You can leave your home to exercise by yourself, with your household or support bubble, or with one person from another household. Outdoor sport allowed but gatherings limit applies except for youth and disabled sport.
Residential care
You can visit relatives in care homes with COVID-secure arrangements such as substantial screens, visiting pods and window visits.
Clinically extremely vulnerable
The clinically extremely vulnerable are advised to stay at home as much as possible, except to go outdoors for exercise or to attend health appointments.
Moving home
You can still move home. People outside your household or support bubble should not help with moving house unless absolutely necessary. Estate and letting agents and removals firms can continue to work. If you are looking to move, you can go to property viewings.
