Groups of up to six people will be able to meet outdoors in England from Monday 1 June, provided strict social distancing guidelines are followed. However, those who are shielding due to health or other related issues, should continue to do so.

How the six people meeting rule works

From 1 June up to six people from different households will be allowed to meet outside, including in gardens and other private outdoor spaces. The evidence shows that the risk of transmission is significantly lower outdoors and this step will mean that people can see more of their friends, family and loved ones. However, as we take this small step forward, it is critical that those from different households continue to stay 2 metres apart. And it remains the case that people should not spend time inside the homes of their friends and families, other than to access the garden or use the toilet.

Stay Alert: Minimising contact with others is still the best way to prevent transmission. The Prime Minister was clear today that people should try to avoid seeing people from too many households in quick succession – so that we can avoid the risk of quick transmission between lots of different families and continue to control the virus. Those who are shielding should continue to do so. The Government recognises the toll this is taking on groups that have been asked to shield and hopes to say more soon on what further support we can provide.

Important links.  Read the scientific evidence on transmission.

Background:

The Prime Minister announced the change as he set out a carefully-designed package to ease the burdens of lockdown in a way that is expected to keep the R rate down. Thanks to the public’s continued patience and hard work in helping to protect the NHS and contain the virus, the Prime Minister confirmed that the government’s five tests are being met. This means we can now move forward to the next phase of adjusting the lockdown.

The Government’s five tests are:

1. Protect the NHS’s ability to cope. We must be confident that we are able to provide sufficient critical care and specialist treatment right across the UK
2. See a sustained and consistent fall in the daily death rates from COVID-19 so we are confident that we have moved beyond the peak
3. Reliable data from SAGE showing that the rate of infection is decreasing to manageable levels across the board
4. Be confident that the range of operational challenges, including testing capacity and PPE, are in hand, with supply able to meet future demand
5. Be confident that any adjustments to the current measures will not risk a second peak of infections that overwhelms the NHS

More Lockdown Easing Measures

A series of measures will be put in place in England from Monday 1 June in three core areas – schools, retail, and social contact.

Schools: Primary schools will welcome back children in Reception, Year 1 and Year 6 on 1 June, and nurseries and other early years settings will be reopened. On 15 June, secondary schools, sixth forms and colleges will begin to provide some face-to-face contact time for Year 10 and 12 and the equivalent groups in further education. This will help students prepare for exams next year, and we expect there to be around a quarter of these secondary students in at any point. The Prime Minister has also acknowledged that some schools may not be able to reopen immediately, and has committed the government to continuing to work with the sector to ensure any schools experiencing difficulties are able to open as soon as possible.

Shops: Thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres will also begin to reopen in June as we restart the economy. Outdoor markets and car showrooms will be able to reopen from 1 June, provided they meet COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect shoppers and workers. We intend to open all other non-essential retail from 15 June, as long as the government’s five tests are still being met and COVID-19 secure guidelines are followed.

Test and Trace: The new NHS Test and Trace programme will ensure we keep making progress in easing the lockdown while continuing to keep the virus under control. The government will closely monitor the impact of the changes set out today and continue to follow the scientific advice to ensure the five tests continue to be met before we take any further steps. So far, the public have shown high levels of compliance and the Goverment are confident that this will continue as restrictions are relaxed, and that people will do the right thing to control the virus and save lives.

Read more about Test and Trace.

Find out what to expect if you do need a test.

The police will continue to take the approach of engaging, explaining and encouraging individuals to follow the law. Where people do not follow the rules, the police will have the power to enforce these requirements as a last resort.

The Government has now published a guide to the Coronavirus tests that are being used in this country. With Test and Trace now launched, it’s a useful guide to what to expect if you are in line to be tested.

To find out if and why you should take a test, read this.

To get a test contact Test and Trace.

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If you are isolating or shielding and believe you may need a test, but are unsure of what to do, or are caring for someone who you think needs a test, this Government guide will help you understand what is involved.  There are links to official information sources within the article.

Sampling kits – for key workers and priority cases

A sample is collected by the person having the test (self-administered) or by someone else (assisted) in a home or mobile environment such as police stations, care homes or drive-through centres. The sampling kits contain a swab which is applied to the nose and throat, or by providing saliva. The sample should be placed into special packaging provided and sent to the designated lab for analysis.

This type of sampling kit is currently being rolled out at scale by the government to key workers and those prioritised for testing. Those eligible can access sampling kits through the government’s official channels.

Read more about the testing process.

A sampling kit that has a valid CE mark can be sold to members of the public and used by them privately.

Laboratory or point-of-care testing

These tests are always done by healthcare professionals. They are not designed to be used by people in their homes as they may give results that need to be interpreted by a trained and qualified healthcare professional.

Some tests are undertaken in a laboratory by specialist staff using specialist equipment. Other tests require less equipment, are easier to use and can be performed by a fully trained and qualified healthcare professional – often in the presence of the person being tested.

Types of COVID-19 tests

Tests for the virus

This type of test looks for the presence of genetic material from the COVID-19 virus within a swab or saliva sample.  A positive test shows that the person being tested has a current, COVID-19 virus infection.

How it works

The test is performed by a fully trained, healthcare professional in a laboratory, ward or clinic. It involves analysing a sample collected from deep inside the nose or the back of the throat by a swab or the sample might be saliva or other fluid. The test can take from less than an hour to several days to get a result.

Tests for antibodies to the virus

This type of test looks for the presence of antibodies (produced by people with the virus to counteract the virus) against the COVID-19 virus. These antibody tests are also referred to as serology tests and can be conducted in a laboratory or through point-of-care testing.

How it works

The test is intended to determine if someone has previously been infected with COVID-19 and now may have antibodies against the virus. A positive result from this test does not guarantee immunity to COVID-19 infection. It may just indicate a recent infection that may or may not have been COVID-19.

The tests involve taking a blood sample, often a finger prick, which will be analysed for the presence of antibodies associated with COVID-19. These tests should only be performed and interpreted by fully trained, healthcare professionals and not by members of the public.

Some manufacturers are selling products intended to detect COVID-19 antibodies. These typically use a few blood drops applied to a small cassette. These tests should be available to healthcare professionals only.

COVID-19 antibody testing services made available to members of the public

Some UK providers such as high street pharmacies and private healthcare providers offer COVID-19 antibody testing for members of the public.

The test involves collecting a fingerprick blood sample into a small container following a set of instructions. The container is then sent to a laboratory for analysis and the results are returned direct to the person who took the test, with an indication of the reliability of the result.

The laboratory tests are CE marked and safe for use on blood drawn from the vein by a healthcare professional, but have not yet been validated by the manufacturer of the test to be used with a fingerprick blood sample. The sample collection kits have not yet been validated for home use and the NHS can’t be sure that people collecting samples at home currently have sufficient support to collect samples in a way that the laboratory can process to give reliable results.

It’s very important for people at home to be able to understand the reliability of the result and what it means for them.

The science regarding long term immunity from COVID-19 is still emerging and the implications of a positive antibody result are difficult to assess. A positive result may not mean a person is immune or if they demonstrate immunity now, or how long this will last.

The NHS strongly advise members of the public or organisations who have purchased these tests and received antibody results to continue to follow the Government’s advice whatever the result of the test.

What we’re doing

We are contacting providers of the antibody testing services and the laboratories running these tests.

We are asking them to temporarily stop offering these tests for sale until the regulatory and safety concerns have been resolved.

This involves further validation of the sample collection kits and the sample type and ensuring that result and supporting information is helpful and accurate.

Report any issues with COVID-19 tests

Further information

Read more about how to use self-test kits safely.

The #FakeMeds campaign is a public health campaign which aims to reduce the harm caused by purchasing fake or unlicensed medical products online.

Learn how to spot a fake and purchase medical products safely online.

Any incidents involving medical devices, including testing kits, or suspected fake or unlicensed testing kits, can be reported via the Yellow Card scheme.

NHS Choices: how to use self-test kits safely

NHS Choices: warning about self-test health kits

Here are some key points from research compiled for the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) and Published on 26 May 2020.

The research looked at:

1. Transmission through airborne, droplet and contact routes and considered the evidence relating to time spent in an environment, distance to the source (2 metre rule),
2. Transmission on surfaces and how ventilation affected impact.

The research is based on evidence available as at 26 April 2020.  Here are the key points.  You can read the research in full at the link below this article.

• The risk of virus transmission through droplets (coughing/sneezing/exhaling) decreases with distance.
• There is evidence that 2 metres is a distance where risk drops to an acceptable level for face-to-face interactions.
• The longer you are in close contact with someone, the more likely it is that the virus is transmitted.
• Exposure to the virus from a cough is more risky than exposure to someone talking; exposure to 1 cough at 2 metres is comparable to talking for 1 minute at 1 metre distance and talking for 30 minutes at 2 metre distance.
• Improving ventilation for poorly ventilated areas may help.
• Surface contacts are likely to be the most significant transmission route. Evidence to date suggests the virus can persist on surfaces at a level that may pose a risk for up to 48 hours, while it is unlikely to persist in air for more than 30 minutes.  This is why cleaning, handwashing and hygiene measures are important.
• A risk assessment approach to enable environmental factors to be
  incorporated into plans for reopening workplaces, schools and other environments.

Read the full report. 

Read more on the Government’s new Test and Trace service.

Read here why face coverings are important in confined spaces.

Test & Trace is an important “next step” in the fight against Coronavirus.

We all need to know how the Test & Trace works and understand our responsibilities as we use the system. This service will help identify, contain and control coronavirus, reduce the spread of the virus and save lives.

See also:
How Test & Trace Works
Stay At Home Advice For Those with Possible Infections
Stay At Home Guidance – Households with vulnerable residents

Test & Trace – A User’s Guide

• Testing Positive: Anyone who tests positive for coronavirus will be contacted by NHS Test and Trace and will need to share information about their recent interactions. This could include household members, people with whom they have been in direct contact, or within 2 metres for more than 15 minutes. People identified as having been in close contact with someone who has a positive test must stay at home for 14 days, even if they do not have symptoms, to stop unknowingly spreading the virus.
• Book a Test: If those in isolation develop symptoms, they can book a test at the NHS web page or by calling 119. If they test positive, they must continue to stay at home for 7 days or until their symptoms have passed. If they test negative, they must complete the 14-day isolation period.
• Isolating: Members of their household will not have to stay at home unless the person identified becomes symptomatic, at which point they must also self-isolate for 14 days to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.
• System’s Aims: This new system is designed to help keep this virus under control while carefully and safely lifting the lockdown nationally.

NHS Test & Trace brings together 4 tools to control the virus:

• Test: increasing availability and speed of testing will underpin NHS Test and Trace.
• Trace: when someone tests positive for coronavirus the NHS Test and Trace service will use dedicated contact tracing staff, online services and local public health experts to identify any close recent contacts they’ve had and alert those most at risk of having the virus who need to self-isolate. This will be complemented by the rollout of the NHS COVID-19 App in the coming weeks.
• Contain: a national Joint Biosecurity Centre will work with local authorities and public health teams in Public Health England (PHE), including local Directors of Public Health, to identify localised outbreaks and support effective local responses, including plans to quickly deploy testing facilities to particular locations. Local authorities have been supported by £300 million of new funding to help local authorities develop their own local outbreak control plans.
• Enable: government to learn more about the virus, including as the science develops, to explore how we could go further in easing infection control measures.

People who are contacted by the NHS Test and Trace service will be given clear information explaining what they must do and how they can access local support if needed. Guidance is also available online at gov.uk/coronavirus. This comes as the Department for Work and Pensions has announced that those having to self-isolate will be eligible for statutory sick pay if they are unable to work from home. This applies across the four nations of the UK.

Read also: How Test & Trace Works

More information

How NHS Test and Trace works for someone with coronavirus symptoms

1. isolate: As soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, you should self-isolate for at least 7 days. Anyone else in your household should self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms.
2. test: You should order a coronavirus test immediately at the NHS web page or call 119 if you have no internet access.
3. results: If your test is positive you must complete the remainder of your 7-day self-isolation. Anyone in your household should also complete self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to isolate.
4. share contacts: If you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS Test & Trace service will send you a text or email alert or call you within 24 hours with instructions of how to share details of people you have been in close, recent contact with and places you have visited. It is important that you respond as soon as possible so that we can give appropriate advice to those who need it. You will be asked to do this online via a secure website or you will be called by one of our NHS contact tracers.

How NHS Test & Trace works for those contacted if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus

1. alert: You will be alerted by the NHS Test & Trace service if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. The alert will come either by text or email and you’ll need to log on to the NHS Test & Trace website, which is the easiest way for you and the service to communicate with each other – but, if not, a trained call handler will talk you through what you need to do. Under 18’s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue.
2. isolate: You will be asked to begin self-isolation for up to 14 days, depending on when you last came into contact with the person who has tested positive. It’s really important to do this even if you don’t feel unwell, because it can take up to 14 days for the symptoms to develop. This will be crucial to avoid you unknowingly spreading the virus to others. Your household doesn’t need to self-isolate with you, but they must take extra care to follow the guidance on social distancing and washing your hands.
3. test if needed: If you develop symptoms of coronavirus, other members of your household should self-isolate at home and you should book a coronavirus test at this NHS web page.  or call 119 if you have no internet access. If your test is positive you must continue to stay at home for 7 days. If your test is negative, you must still complete your 14 day self-isolation period because the virus may not be detectable yet.

What is close contact?
Close contact is defined as anyone who has been within two metres of an infected person for at least 15 minutes. 

See also:
Test & Trace User’s Guide
Stay At Home Advice For Those with Possible Infections
Stay At Home Guidance – Households with vulnerable residents

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The NHS Test & Trace service – Introduction:

• ensures that anyone who develops symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) can quickly be tested to find out if they have the virus, and also includes targeted asymptomatic testing of NHS and social care staff and care home residents
• helps trace close recent contacts of anyone who tests positive for coronavirus and, if necessary, notifies them that they must self-isolate at home to help stop the spread of the virus

Test & Trace will help return life more to normal, in a way that is safe and protects our NHS and social care. The service will allow us to trace the spread of the virus and isolate new infections and play a vital role in giving us early warning if the virus is increasing again, locally or nationally.

How Test & Trace helps fight the virus

The NHS Test & Trace service will help to control the rate of reproduction (R), reduce the spread of the infection and save lives. By playing your part through the actions set out below, you will directly help to contain the virus by reducing its spread. This means that, thanks to your efforts, we will be able to go as far as it is safe to go in easing lockdown measures.

You can help in the following ways:

• if you develop symptoms, you must continue to follow the rules to self-isolate with other members of your household and order a test to find out if you have coronavirus
• if you test positive for coronavirus, you must share information promptly about your recent contacts through the NHS Test & Trace service to help us alert other people who may need to self-isolate
• if you have had close recent contact with someone who has coronavirus, you must self-isolate if the NHS Test & Trace service advises you to do so

This specific guidance applies in England only. All 4 administrations are working closely together to have a consistent and joined-up approach to testing and tracing.

Definitions

‘Self-isolation if you have symptoms’ means you and all household members must remain at home. Do not go outside your home for any reason i.e. to work, school, or public areas, and do not use public transport or taxis. The guidance for households with possible coronavirus infection page has more information on self-isolation.

‘Contact’ means a person who has been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus and who may or may not live with them.

How NHS Test & Trace service works

Part 1: for someone with symptoms of coronavirus

1. isolate: as soon as you experience coronavirus symptoms, medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate for at least 7 days. Anyone else in your household must self-isolate for 14 days from when you started having symptoms
2. test: order a test immediately at www.nhs.uk/coronavirus or call 119 if you have no internet access
3. results: if your test is positive, you must complete the remainder of your 7-day self-isolation. Anyone in your household must also complete self-isolation for 14 days from when you started having symptoms. If your test is negative, you and other household members no longer need to self-isolate
4. share contacts: if you test positive for coronavirus, the NHS Test & Trace service will send you a text or email alert or call you with instructions of how to share details of people with whom you have had close, recent contact and places you have visited. It is important that you respond as soon as possible so that we can give appropriate advice to those who need it. You will be told to do this online via a secure website or you will be called by one of our contract tracers.

Part 2: if you are contacted by the NHS Test & Trace service because you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus

1. alert: you will be alerted by the NHS Test & Trace service if you have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus. The alert will usually come by text, email or phone call. You should then log on to the NHS Test & Trace website, which is normally the easiest way for you and the service to communicate with each other – but, if not, a trained call handler will talk you through what you must do. Under-18s will get a phone call and a parent or guardian will be asked to give permission for the call to continue
2. isolate: you will be told to begin self-isolation for 14 days from your last contact with the person who has tested positive. It’s really important to do this even if you don’t feel unwell because, if you have been infected, you could become infectious to others at any point up to 14 days. Your household doesn’t need to self-isolate with you, if you do not have symptoms, but they must take extra care to follow the guidance on social distancing and handwashing and avoid contact with you at home
3. test if needed: if you develop symptoms of coronavirus, other members of your household must self-isolate immediately at home for 14 days and you must book a test at the NHS web page or call 119 if you have no internet access. If your test is positive, you must continue to stay at home for at least 7 days and we will get in touch to ask about your contacts since they must self-isolate. If your test is negative, you must still complete your 14-day self-isolation period because the virus may not be detectable yet – this is crucial to avoid unknowingly spreading the virus.

People who develop symptoms of coronavirus

When to self-isolate

The medical advice is clear: you must self-isolate if you have coronavirus symptoms or live in the same household as somebody who does. The main symptoms of coronavirus are:

• high temperature – this means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature)
• new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours (if you usually have a cough, it may be worse than usual)
• loss or change to your sense of smell or taste – this means you’ve noticed you cannot smell or taste anything, or things smell or taste different to normal

For more information, read the further guidance on symptoms.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 7 days – or longer if you still have symptoms other than cough or loss of sense of smell/taste.

If you live in the same household as someone with coronavirus symptoms, you must self-isolate straight away for 14 days.

How to order a test

Please tell the Test & Trace service about your symptoms as soon as possible and get a test to find out if you have coronavirus. Please tell them about your symptoms as soon as possible. The sooner you have a test, the sooner we can let you know if you and other members of your household must remain in self-isolation.

Members of the public can order a test through the NHS website.

If you are an essential worker or an employer, please visit:

• essential workers
• employers

If you don’t have access to the internet, you can order a test by phoning 119.

Our guidance on testing has more information on our testing programme.

It has been made as easy as possible for everyone who has symptoms to access a test quickly, and there are now many potential ways to be tested:

• drive-through regional testing sites
• mobile testing units
• test kits delivered to your home
• hospital-based testing for NHS patients and staff
• dedicated testing centres in other care settings (for example, care homes)

When you order a test, you will get information on the options available to you.

They currently aim to provide results within 48 hours of taking a test, but some results may take longer.

You will get your results by text, email or phone – and the message will advise you about what to do next.

If you test negative

If you get a negative test result, this means you are at low risk of having coronavirus.

Other members of your household can stop self-isolating. If you feel well and no longer have symptoms similar to coronavirus, you can stop self-isolating. You could still have another virus, such as a cold or flu – in which case it is still best to avoid contact with other people until you are better.

If you test positive

If you get a positive test result, this means that when you took the test, you had coronavirus. You – and other members of your household – must continue to self-isolate.

Health and care workers

If you work in a health or care setting, you should follow the separate guidance for health and care workers on testing and when to return to work.

Telling people about your test result

If you develop symptoms, you may wish to alert the people with whom you have had close contact over the last 48 hours. You should tell them that you might have coronavirus but are waiting for a test result.

At this stage (until the test result is known), those people do not need to self-isolate, but they should take extra care in practising social distancing and good hygiene, like washing their hands regularly. They should also watch out for their own symptoms.

You may want to write down your recent close contacts now so that you have them to hand if you test positive.

Sharing information about your recent contacts

If you get a positive test, we will contact you and ask you to share information about any close contacts you had just before or after you developed symptoms. This is vital to stop the spread of the virus.

Test & Trace will contact you by text message, email or phone. If you are under 18 years old, we will contact you by phone wherever possible and ask for your parent or guardian’s permission to continue the call.

Thousands of high street shops, department stores and shopping centres across England are set to reopen next month once they are COVID-19 secure and can show customers will be kept safe, the Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed on Monday 25 May.

The Prime Minister has set out:

• Outdoor markets and car showrooms will be able to reopen from 1 June, as soon as they are able to meet the COVID-19 secure guidelines to protect shoppers and workers. As with garden centres, the risk of transmission of the virus is lower in these outdoor and more open spaces. Car showrooms often have significant outdoor space and it is generally easier to apply social distancing.
• All other non-essential retail to re-open from 15 June.  This includes shops selling clothes, shoes, toys, furniture, books, and electronics, plus tailors, auction houses, photography studios, and indoor markets.  This is dependent upon the Government’s five tests being met and shops must follow the COVID-19 secure guidelines, giving them three weeks to prepare.

Shops like supermarkets and pharmacies have been trading responsibly throughout the pandemic. Building on this and in line with the Government’s roadmap, reopening non-essential retail is the next step towards restoring people’s livelihoods, restarting the UK’s economy, and ensuring vital public services like the NHS continue to be funded.

Businesses will only be able to open from these dates once they have completed a risk assessment, in consultation with trade union representatives or workers, and are confident they are managing the risks. They must have taken the necessary steps to become COVID-19 secure in line with the current Health and Safety legislation.

The government is taking action to help businesses re-open and protect their staff and customers, including:

Publishing updated COVID-secure guidelines for people who work in or run shops, branches, and stores, after consultation with businesses, union leaders, Public Health England and the Health and Safety Executive.

Working with local authorities to continue to carry out spot checks and follow up on concerns by members of the public.

The updated guidance takes into account the best practice demonstrated by the many retailers which have been allowed to remain open and have applied social distancing measures in store. Measures that shops should consider include placing a poster in their windows to demonstrate awareness of the guidance and commitment to safety measures, storing returned items for 72 hours before putting them back out on the shop floor, placing protective coverings on large items touched by the public such as beds or sofas, and frequent cleaning of objects and surfaces that are touched regularly, including self-checkouts, trolleys, coffee machines and betting terminals, for example.

The vast majority of businesses will want to do everything possible to protect their staff and customers, but tough powers are in place to enforce action if they don’t, including fines and jail sentences of up to two years.

As per the roadmap, hairdressers, nail bars and beauty salons, and the hospitality sector, remain closed, because the risk of transmission in these environments is higher where long periods of person to person contact is required.

Andrew Goodacre, CEO, British Independent Retailers Association, said:

“Bira is pleased with the guidance being given to retail outlets. It provides a broad framework for the basic measures and still allows the retailer to be flexible according to the size, layout and location of the shop.  This guidance will ensure that independent retailers provide safe environments for employees and customers.”

New antibody testing programme to provide tens of thousands of antibody tests per day across the UK from this week.

• All NHS and care staff in England will be offered a test, with patients and care residents eligible at their clinician’s request
• Accurate and reliable lab-based antibody tests will improve understanding and data on COVID-19
• Devolved administrations will decide who is eligible for tests in their jurisdictions

Antibody tests will be available to NHS and care staff, eligible patients and care residents in England to see if they have had coronavirus as part of a new national antibody testing programme announced by Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock.

Tests will be prioritised for NHS and care staff, and clinicians will be able to request them for patients in both hospital and social care settings if they deem it appropriate.

The new antibody testing programme, which will start next week, follows the substantial expansion of the UK’s swab testing capacity, which saw the creation of the country’s biggest network of diagnostic labs completed in record time. Swab testing confirms whether or not someone currently has the virus that causes COVID-19.

Under the new programme announced today, highly accurate laboratory based antibody tests will be used to tell whether someone has already had the virus, to provide accurate data about the antibodies they have developed in response. The information will help clinicians and scientists to better understand the prevalence of the virus in different regions across the country.