Coronavirus (Covid-19)

Step one – 8 March

• Schools and colleges will open for all students. Practical higher education courses
• Recreation or exercise outdoors with your household or one other person. No mixing indoors
• Wraparound childcare
• Funerals, maximum of 30 people. Wakes and weddings, maximum 6 people

29 March

• Rule of 6 or two households can meet outdoors. No household mixing indoors
• Outdoor sport and leisure facilities can reopen
• Organised sport allowed for children and adults
• Minimise travel, no holidays
• Outdoor parent and child groups can open (maximum of 15 parents).

At least five weeks after step one, and no earlier than 12 April:

• Indoor leisure (including gyms) open for use individually or within household groups
• Rule of six or two households can meet outdoors. No household mixing indoors
• Outdoor attractions, such as zoos, theme parks and drive-in cinemas
• Libraries and community centres
• Personal care premises
• All retail
• Outdoor hospitality
• All children’s activities, indoor parent and child groups (up to 15 parents)
• Domestic overnight stays (household only)
• Self-contained accommodation (household only)
• Funerals (maximum of 30) wakes, weddings and receptions (maximum of 15)
• minimise travel. No international holidays
• Event pilots will begin.

At least five weeks after step two, no earlier than 17 May

• Indoor entertainment and attractions
• Outdoors groups of 30 maximum can meet. Rule of six indoors or two households (subject to review)
• Domestic overnight stays
• Organised indoor adult sport
• Most significant life events can take place (maximum 30 people)
• Remaining outdoor entertainment (including performances)
• Remaining accommodation
• Some large events (except of pilots) – capacity limits will apply. Indoor events – maximum 1,000 or 50 per cent capacity. Outdoor other events – 4,000 or 50 per cent. Outdoor seated events – 10,000 0r 25 per cent
• International travel – subject to review

At least five weeks after step three, no earlier than 21 June.

By step four, the Government hopes to be able to introduce the following (subject to review):

• No legal limits on social contact
• Nightclubs
• Larger events
• No legal limit on all life events.

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.

You should not meet other people you do not live with, or have formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.

Stay two metres apart from anyone not in your household.

Further detailed government guidance is available on the Gov.uk website.

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to:

• shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
• go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
• exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
• meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
• seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
• attend education or childcare – for those eligible

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until, at least, 8 March. Early Years settings remain open.

Higher Education provision will remain online until mid February for all except future critical worker courses.

If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay local in the village, town, or part of the city where you live. You may leave your local area for a legally permitted reason, such as for work.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. You should not attend work

Two types of testing are available in North Lincolnshire:

COVID-19 Local Testing Sites are available to anyone who has symptoms of COVID-19, including a new continuous cough, a high temperature or a loss or change in your sense of smell or taste

We are also developing a programme of testing for eligible groups of people without symptoms. We know that people can carry the COVID-19 virus and pass on the infection without showing symptoms, so it is important we identify more of the “silent spreaders” of the virus if we are to break the chain of infection.

Currently these groups include critical workers who cannot work from home and come into contact with others, including those who work with vulnerable people. Many of these workers can access regular testing via national testing programmes (eg NHS or Care Home workers, and staff in schools). Based on need, regular testing for priority workers and volunteers who don’t currently have access to one of the national testing programmes, should be available soon and this will enable people to keep safe and well across North Lincolnshire. More details of testing for critical workers who don’t have symptoms will be available on this page once this new programme is up and running.

COVID-19 vaccination information

• COVID-19 vaccination – a guide for older adults  – an easy read version and guides in other languages also available
• COVID-19 vaccination – a guide for childbearing, pregnant or breastfeeding women – an easy read version and guides in other languages also available
• What to expect after your vaccination – an easy read version and guides in other languages also available
• NHS England Learning Disability and Autism Programme have produced an information about vaccines video for people with a learning disability and their carers.

Coronavirus vaccine information in other languages?

Local GPs across the Humber, Coast and Vale areas have filmed an important message in multiple languages to encourage vaccine confidence and dispel vaccine myths and misinformation. The videos are available in several languages on YouTube and more languages will be added shortly.

North Lincolnshire Council’s point of contact is Nolan Bennett, who can be contacted at CV-19Vaccinations@northlincs.gov.uk

Further information about eligibility for the vaccination can be accessed in the following documents:

• COVID-19 vaccine deployment programme and
• COVID-19 – SARS-CoV-2

By following this guidance we can ensure that that the priority groups of people identified by the Joint Committee for Vaccination and Immunisation (JVCI) get the vaccine they need.

During challenging times, it’s really important we look after ourselves and those around us. This includes our physical health and just as importantly, our mental wellbeing.

There are five steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing. Trying these things could help you feel more positive and able to get the most out of life.

For information and guidance for children and families please view the information on the following pages:

• Support for children and families
• Support for young carers
• What the coronavirus national lockdown restrictions mean to families in North Lincolnshire 

Below are useful links to guidance for people who use social care services, carers and social care providers:

• Providing unpaid care
• Guidance for people receiving direct payments
• Providing home care
• Supporting people outside of their home
• Supporting adults with a learning disability and autistic adults
• Looking after people who lack mental capacity
• Supported living services during COVID-19
• Care home visiting guidance
• North Lincolnshire care home support plan
• Admission and care of people in care homes
• How to work safely in care homes
• How to work safely in domiciliary care
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) local contacts for care providers

• Read the latest guidance for businesses and venues on the Government website.

The government has published guidance for food businesses in relation to Covid-19. This includes information on:

• maintaining social distancing
• food hygiene
• managing employee sickness

Additional guidance is also provided by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH).

• Read the guidance for landlords and tenants in full at the Government website.

• Read the latest guidance for schools and educational settings on the Government website.