All the rules changing on Monday in Stage 3 of lockdown exit roadmap
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Your support makes all the difference.Monday (17 May) marks the start of stage three of the government’s roadmap for unlocking, with hospitality venues set to reopen indoors, relaxations to restrictions on outdoor gatherings, weddings having bigger guest lists and sporting venues and theatres welcoming back spectators.
Boris Johnson confirmed at the Downing Street press conference on Monday 10 May that social distancing and hospitality rules will be eased.
Despite concerns over the spread of the Indian variant of the virus, the lockdown will continue as planned.
From Monday in England, the rules will change to allow outdoor socialising in groups of up to 30 people, where previously they had only been able to mix in groups of six or less.
People will also be able to resume indoor socialising for the first time in months in groups of six or less.
Groups of six or more if they are from just two households can meet in people’s homes and domestic overnight stays will be allowed.
Hugging loved ones is permitted, with ministers telling people to remain cautious.
In pubs and restaurants, the rule of six will apply inside and groups of up to 30 can meet outside. Venues will continue to apply table service only.
Cinemas, theatres, bingo halls and other forms of indoor entertainment can reopen with social distancing in place, while Some large events will also be allowed to resume. Indoor events will have a capacity of 1,000, or 50 per cent, whichever is smaller.
Up to 30 people can attend significant life events like weddings, funerals, wakes, bar mitzvahs and christenings.
Care home residents will also be able to receive more visitors. Up to five visitors will be able to visit care home residents regularly when the UK’s lockdown is eased further on Monday.
In updated guidance on its website, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said the named visitors can attend two at a time or separately.
Outdoor events will be capped at 4,000 or 50 per cent capacity, and outdoor seated events – such as football matches – at 10,000 or 25 per cent capacity.
Meanwhile, organised indoor sport will also return for adults, as well as gym classes.
Foreign holidays will resume from Monday, with destinations split into green, amber and red lists. People can visit Portugal without needing to quarantine, although other popular destinations like France and Spain are not on the “green list”.
In education, all university students in England can return to campus next week for in-person teaching, with those returning expected to get tested twice a week throughout the rest of the summer term.
Face coverings are no longer be mandatory in classrooms or communal areas of secondary schools, though twice-weekly home testing of students will continue.
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