NEW parents with a child under the age of one will be allowed to form support bubbles with another household.
It means grandparents can help look after the kids – and even stay over under new Tier rules.
Boris Johnson announced the new Tier rules today and extended the rule on support bubbles for parents of young kids.
The new Winter Covid Plan said today: “The Government is expanding eligibility of support bubbles.
“This will help mitigate the impacts of the restrictions on parents of children aged under 1 (or under 5, but with a disability that necessitates continuous care) and for those households where a single adult cares for someone with a serious disability.”
Previously only single adult households could form a bubble others – including single parent households.
But groups with two parents were unable to meet indoors with others in the top two Tier levels.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Mr Johnson announced his new tougher Tiers: “While the previous local Tiers did cut the R (rate of reproduction) number, they were not quite enough to reduce it below 1 so the scientific advice is that as we come out, our tiers need to be made tougher.”
The ban in indoor mixing in Tier 2 will stay in place under the new beefed up rules.
And Mr Johnson acknowledged today that “more regions” will wind up in higher Tiers than they were in previously.
People in Tier 3 are not allowed to mix indoors or in most outdoor spaces except for public spaces – where the rule of six applies.
Boris Johnson also announced today:
- The Tiers system will be significantly toughened up – with new rules for Tier 2 and 3 but NO Tier 4
- Households will be only able to meet up in Tier 3 in outdoor spaces like parks
- Pubs and restaurants in the top Tier will have to stay shut – but drive-thrus and deliveries can continue
- Tier 2 pub rules will be toughened, with only places serving food with drinks allowed
- Casinos, bowling alleys and cinemas in Tier 3 will have to stay shut
- Gyms and beauty salons can open across the nation – and all shops will open their doors again
- Brits will be able to go to see Boxing Day football matches in the lower tiers
- Elderly Brits will be able to come out of care homes to spend Christmas with the family if everyone tests negative–
- New parents with a kid under one will be allowed to form support bubbles
The rule also means parents with a child under the age of 5 who required continuous care because of a disability are also able to form support bubbles.
The rule banning mixing with out households in both Tier 2 and Tier 3 are set to be loosened over the Christmas period to let families reunite.
Families will be able to join up in “festive bubbles” of as many as three households.
And they may even be allowed to dine out within those bubbles.
Mr Johnson said today: “We all want some kind of Christmas, we need it – we certainly feel we deserve it.
“But what we don’t want is to throw caution to the winds and allow virus to flare up and force us into lockdown in January.”
The PM said he would announce a full Christmas plan later this week.
But he warned that families need to make their own decisions about seeing elderly, vulnerable parents.
