Tier 2 restrictions: your questions about Sheffield lockdown measures answered

With a new ‘three tier’ lockdown system now in place, many people across England have been left feeling a little confused.

If you live in Sheffield, you may be unsure how the new Tier 2 restrictions affect you. These are the answers to some of your questions.

Is my child still allowed to get lifts to school from friends?

People are advised to walk or cycle when possible, and to only travel by with those in your household and/or support bubble.

If you live in a single-adult household, you could form a support bubble with the household of the people giving your child a lift to school, but you may only have that one household other than your own in the bubble.

What does this mean for people who co-parent - and what if one parent has someone else in their support bubble?

Children of parents who are separated can continue to move between households.

This does not impact on support bubbles, meaning both parents’ households can have a support or childcare bubble as well as moving the child between their own households.

Can grandparents still look after children so parents can work?

According to government guidance for areas in Tier 2 restrictions, people in your support bubble or your childcare bubble can provide childcare support in private homes and gardens.

A childcare bubble is where someone in one household provides informal (unpaid and unregistered) childcare to at least one child aged 13 or under in another household. This does include two people (for example, grandparents) from the same household.

However, you can only link with one other household to form a bubble, so childcare cannot be split between two sets of grandparents, for example.

According to the guidance, childcare bubbles are “not for the purposes of different households mixing where they are otherwise not allowed to do so.”

Are there any changes for the elderly and vulnerable?

At present there have been no increased restrictions announced, but there is a full set of guidance for people who are vulnerable or at an increased risk, which is available on the government’s website, here.

Why can I go to a cafe but not visit family for a cup of tea?

There is widespread frustration at the apparent contradictions in some aspects of the restrictions, but government guidance states that it is safe to visit hospitality venues as they have enhanced measures in place, such as risk assessments and test and trace, whereas private homes don’t.

What do the new restrictions mean for sports clubs and fitness classes?

Government guidance for areas under Tier 2 restrictions says that “organised indoor exercise classes are only permitted if it is possible for people to avoid mixing in with people you do not live with or share a support bubble with.”

There are exceptions to this, which allow disability and youth sport and physical activity indoors, in any number, to continue.

How does this affect tradespeople who work in customers' homes?

Official and registered tradespeople can go to other people’s homes for work purposes, so long as they follow national guidance on how to work safely there.

This includes tradespeople like plumbers and locksmiths, as well as mobile hairdressers and beauticians.

Can I visit relatives outside of my area?

If you live in an area which is under Tier 2 restrictions you must not meet socially with friends and family indoors in any setting, unless you live with them or have formed a support bubble with them. This includes meeting with people outside your area.

You are able to meet up with people you do not live with outside, including in a garden, so long as you don’t meet in a group of more than six people, including children.

Can I still meet up indoors with people in my support bubble?

Yes, people in support bubbles can meet each other in public, indoors or outdoors, and in private residences.

What if I have already had and recovered from Covid-19?

At present there are no exemptions from the restrictions for people who have already had Covid-19, partly because long-term immunity in those who have already had the virus has not been established.

Why is London only 'Tier 1' when they have a high infection rate?

While there has been no framework laid out which explains what the trigger or benchmark is for an area to move up or down the tier levels, there are rumoured reports that London is expected to be moved to Tier 2 in the coming weeks.

Does the government see an end point to restrictions?

While no clear path to an end to the restrictions has been laid out, the idea behind lockdowns and restrictions is to prevent the virus from spreading and the number of cases growing exponentially, until a vaccine is found and ready to be distributed.

This is in order to protect the most vulnerable, and to stop the NHS being overwhelmed by Covid-19 patients to the point where it cannot treat anything else.