British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has announced that, from Saturday, People living alone in England will be able to stay at one other household as part of a further easing of COVID-19 restrictions.
In what was termed “support bubble,” the government said that the change is aimed at to helping citizens combat loneliness and also ensure that people are being trusted to observe laid down rules.
READ ALSO: El-Rufai Gives Guidelines As Kaduna Opens
According to the Prime Minister, the new rule applies to single adult households or single parents with children under 18 and it does not apply to those who are shielding or other UK nations.
He said:
All those in a support bubble will be able to act as if they live in the same household, meaning they can spend time together inside each others’ homes and do not need to stay two metres apart.
I want to stress that support bubbles must be exclusive, meaning you can’t switch the household you are in a bubble with or connect with multiple households.
And if any member of the support bubble develops symptoms, all members of the bubble will need to follow the normal advice on household isolation.
The Prime Minister further stated that if a person lives alone but their partner has a flatmate, then they can form a bubble but the flatmate cannot then form their own with another household.
He, however, stressed that if anyone within a bubble develops COVID-19 symptoms, everyone within the bubble must self-isolate for 14 days.
The new rule, according to the Prime Minister is “not designed for people who don’t qualify to start meeting inside because that remains against the law.”
Meanwhile, Johnson noted that the new ruled does not apply to grandparents who live together, people living in houses of multiple occupancies, such as flatshares, or to couples who already live together.
He added:
However, I want to say I know how hard it is for those of you who are shielding and we will say more next week about the arrangements that will be in place for you beyond the end of June.
