COVID-19: New Tier 4 (Stay at Home) restrictions in place in parts of Hampshire from Sunday 20 December

Parts of the Hampshire County Council local authority area will move to Tier 4 (Stay at Home) from Sunday 20 December, following the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson’s announcement of the introduction of tighter COVID-19 restrictions to help curb the spread of a new variant of coronavirus in some parts of the country.

Dec 19 2020

Councillor Keith Mans, Leader of Hampshire County Council and Chair of the Local Outbreak Engagement Board, said: “Central Government has confirmed that the local authority areas of Havant Borough and Gosport Borough will come under COVID-19 Tier 4 restrictions from tomorrow. This new Tier will be broadly the same as the national restrictions in place in November. The rest of the Hampshire County Council local authority area will remain in Tier 2 (High).

“As well as outlining these new tighter restrictions, the Prime Minister also announced changes to previous plans for the festive period. People now living in Tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside their own household at Christmas, although support bubbles will remain in place for those at particular risk of loneliness or isolation. Across Tiers 1 to 3, the Christmas Bubble rules allowing up to three households to meet will now be limited to Christmas Day only – and not the five days from 23 to 27 December, as previously set out.

“While the announcement just days before Christmas may understandably come as a disappointment to many, it’s crucial that we all take the necessary steps to protect the public’s health – particularly those who are elderly or clinically extremely vulnerable. It’s the right thing to do.
 
“We must continue to work together, follow the rules and protect ourselves, our loved ones and our communities, especially with the threat of a new COVID-19 variant spreading much faster in Tier 4 areas, and the ongoing rise in infections in general across the country.”
 
The key restrictions for Tier 4 require:

- Residents to stay at home, apart from limited exemptions set out in law.
- Non-essential retail, indoor gyms and leisure facilities, and personal care services to close.
- People to work from home if they can but they may travel to work if this is not possible, for example in the construction and manufacturing sectors.
- People not to enter or leave Tier 4 areas, and Tier 4 residents must not stay overnight away from home. Individuals can only meet one person from another household in an outdoor public space.

 
Unlike the November national restrictions, communal worship can continue to take place in Tier 4 areas. 

For full details of what you can and cannot do in an area in Tier 4 of local restrictions, please view the Tier 4 (Stay At Home) online guidance.
 
The Hampshire local authorities which remain in Tier 2 (High) are listed below: 

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council
East Hampshire District Council
Eastleigh Borough Council
Fareham Borough Council
Hart District Council
New Forest District Council
Rushmoor Borough Council
Test Valley Borough Council
Winchester City Council 

As a reminder of what you can and cannot do in an area in Tier 2 (High) of local restrictions, please view the Tier 2 (High Alert) online guidance.

In addition, remember ‘hands, face, space’ and, if you have symptoms, however mild, follow self-isolation guidance and get a test.
 
The next Government review of the Tier system in England is still expected to take place on Wednesday 30 December.