Last week, the Government released its Covid-19 recovery strategy. This is a planned timetable for lifting restrictions. Every aspect of this timetable depends on successfully controlling the spread of the virus; if the evidence shows sufficient progress is not being made in controlling the virus then the lifting of restrictions may have to be delayed.

The core advice remains the same - that we should stay at home as much as possible. Reasons for leaving home include: travelling to work, where you cannot work from home; going to shops that are permitted to be open – for example to purchase food and medicine; to exercise or spend time outdoors; any medical need, including to donate blood, to avoid injury or illness, to escape risk of harm, or to provide care or to help a vulnerable person.

However, there is now a limited number of things that you can do now, that we couldn’t previously throughout the lockdown. This includes, spending time outdoors, for example sitting and enjoying the fresh air, picnicking, or sunbathing; meeting one other person from a different household outdoors - following social distancing guidelines and exercising outdoors as often as you wish. It also means that you can use outdoor sports courts or facilities, such as a tennis or basketball court, or golf course – with members of your household or one other person from another household, while staying 2 metres apart, and garden centres are now also open to the public.

At all times, people should continue to observe social distancing guidelines when outside of the home, including ensuring you are 2 metres away from anyone outside your household. As with before, people still cannot visit friends or family in their homes; exercise in an indoor sports court, or in either an outdoor or indoor gym, leisure centre or playground. You also cannot gather in a group of more than two, excluding members of your own household, except for a few specific exceptions set out in law, such as for work, funerals and emergencies.

We cannot predict with absolute certainty what the impact of lifting restrictions will be. If, after lifting restrictions, the Government sees a sudden and concerning rise in the infection rate then they may have to re-impose some restrictions. It’s vital that people continue to stay alert to help control the virus and save lives.

If you have any questions about this updated advice, or would like clarification on particular issues, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me, at luke.hall.mp@parliament.uk.

The full details of the “Road Map”, that the Prime Minister described in his Address to the Nation, can be found here.