The following restrictions will continue for the next three weeks –

• The Covid certification scheme (also known as vaccine passports)
• collection of customer contact details in settings such as hospitality
• wearing of face coverings in many indoor public places
• businesses and service providers must follow guidance and take steps to minimise the spread of infection on their premises

Face Masks will continue to be worn in schools. This is because of unceratinty over infection rates and the relatively high number of cases in younger age groups. However new guidance is being published which eases requirements for bubbles or groupings within schools, and is less restrictive in its advice on visitors to school and school trips.

In areas where the flu vaccination program was postponed for some groups to allow priority to be given to the delivery of Covid booster jags, it has now resumed for high risk groups, such as the over 65s.
Booster invitations are now being sent to all 18 to 59 year olds who are eligible for the booster but haven’t yet had it, around 580,00 people.

“We can continue to be optimistic, as we look ahead to spring. Case levels are likely to remain high for some time – and may increase further as a result of the recent easing of protections. But there are good grounds for confidence that we are again entering a calmer phase of the pandemic.”