Table 1 Lockdown law Timeline
Study Year | Date | Measures introduced |
|---|---|---|
Year 1 | Mar 2020 | 26 Mar: First national lockdown: schools and non-essential businesses closed except for essential shopping and 1-h per day local exercise. Facemasks and social distancing required in public space |
May 2020 | 10 May: People who cannot WFH return to work but not on public transport | |
June 2020 | 01 June: Schools reopen. 15 June: non-essential shops reopen. 23 June: 2 m social distancing. ‘Rule of six’ outdoor meetings | |
July 2020 | 04 July: Many restrictions removed (opening of pubs, restaurants, hairdressers). Outdoor gatherings up to 30 people allowed. First local lockdown (Leicester). August: ‘Eat out to Help Out’ hospitality subsidies | |
Sept 2020 | 14 Sept: ‘Rule of six’ indoors and outdoors. 22 September: return to WFH; 10 pm curfew for hospitality sector | |
Oct 2020 | 14 Oct: Three-tier area-based lockdown system | |
Nov 2020 | 05 Nov: Second national lockdown. Schools and non-essential businesses closed. Meeting outdoor with one person outside ‘support bubble’ allowed | |
Dec 2020 | 02 Dec: Second lockdown ends; return to three-tier lockdowns. 19 Dec: Four tier area-based lockdown system: 75% of country in tier 4 (the strictest) at turn of the year. 23–27 December: up to three households can meet up | |
Jan 2021 | 06 Jan: Third national lockdown. Schools and non-essential businesses closed except for essential shopping. Support bubbles | |
Year 2 | Mar 2021 | 08 March: Start of four-phase ‘roadmap out of lockdown’. 08 March, Step 1: Schools reopen. 29 March, Step 1: Stay-at-home ends. Meetings of six people or two households allowed. Sports facilities reopen |
Apr 2021 | 12 April, Step 2: Many non-essential businesses reopen | |
May 2021 | 17 May, Step 3: 30 people can mix outdoors; rule of six indoors; pubs, restaurants, cinemas reopen; up to 10,000 at outdoor stadiums | |
June 2021 | 14 June: Step 4: restrictions on weddings and funerals abolished | |
July 2021 | 19 July: most limits on social contact removed. All sectors of economy open including nightclubs | |
Dec 2021 | ‘Plan B’ measures introduced due to omicron variant. 10 Dec: Facemasks required in indoor venues. 15 Dec: NHS covid pass required for specific settings like nightclubs | |
Feb 2022 | 24 Feb: Remaining covid restrictions removed |