Southampton and the rest of Hampshire will enter into Tier 2 once the national lockdown has ended on the 2nd of December.
Tier 2 is classed as a ‘high-alert’ area with cases rising rapidly. This will next be reviewed on the 16th of December. The main rules in place include no mixing of separate households indoors, apart from support bubbles. The ‘Rule of Six’ still applies for outdoor meet-ups. From Wednesday, restaurants will be able to reopen, as will hairdressers and barbers. However, pubs and bars will only be able to welcome customers if they are operating as restaurants. This means they must be able to serve ‘substantial meals’. Non-essential shops and gyms will also be able to open.
Before the second lockdown, Southampton was placed in Tier 1, a ‘medium-alert’ category. Matt Hancock explains this change stating:
‘ There is a mixed picture across this area although the overall case rate is now 152/100,000 and falling in almost all areas.
NHS admissions were increasing rapidly until mid-November and are now stable.’
However, if you or a member of your household are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or have received a positive COVID-19 test, you must follow government guidelines.
