Today (19th December) Prime Minister Boris Johnson put some counties into a new Tier 4. He also cut the number of days you can mix with other households to just ONE.
Hampshire remains in Tier 2. However the new Tier 4 restrictions in other areas may affect your Christmas plans.
Specifically, if you were looking forward to a 5-day relaxation of the rules, this has been scrapped. For many this will mean that the Prime Minister has cancelled Christmas.
THE THREE HOUSEHOLD MIXING LIMIT HAS BEEN CUT FROM 5 DAYS TO JUST CHRISTMAS DAY
Your ‘Christmas Bubble’ of up to three households may remain in place, but this is now limited to just Christmas Day.
If you are planning to see family in the south of the county, specifically in Portsmouth, Havant and Gosport or in counties like Berkshire, Surrey, Kent, Buckinghamshire (excluding Waverley) and places like Rother and Hastings in Sussex – there are new restrictions. All boroughs of London were also placed into Tier 4.
Do not expect family or friends to travel from a Tier 4 area. They will be hit with a “stay at home order”. They cannot mix with anyone indoors who are not in their household. Additionally, they may not meet any more than one other person in an outdoor space.
YOU ARE ADVISED NOT TO TRAVEL TO A TIER 4 AREA
When asked by a Sky News reporter what the Prime Minister had to say for people who are now facing Christmas alone, Mr Johnson – perhaps in an inadvertent flippant response – suggested, “Lift a glass to those who aren’t there”.
The new restrictions will be in place for 2 weeks – being reviewed on Wednesday 30th December.
