England move to Step 4 – All businesses to full reopen on 19 July.

Our friends at Lincoln BIG have published a round-up of the latest guidance that affects your business as set out below.

Step 4 of the roadmap will proceed as planned on Monday 19 July, the Prime Minister confirmed last night (12th July 2021).

The majority of covid-19 restrictions will end on 19 July and guidance will emphasise personal responsibility. All businesses can reopen fully without capacity restrictions or social distancing.

The move to Step 4 was delayed by 4 weeks so more adults could be vaccinated. The latest data and modelling show that the government’s “four tests” for easing covid restrictions have been met.

The four tests are:

• The vaccine deployment programme continues successfully
• Evidence shows vaccines are sufficiently effective in reducing hospitalisations and deaths in those vaccinated
• Infection rates do not risk a surge in hospitalisations which would put unsustainable pressure on the NHS
• Assessment of the risks is not fundamentally changed by new Variants of Concern

The majority of legal restrictions will be removed and people will be expected to protect themselves and others through informed choice. The government expects and recommends that face coverings are worn in crowded and enclosed spaces, such as public transport when mixing with people you don’t normally meet.

While the government is no longer instructing people to work from home, a return to the workplace should be gradual and businesses should follow the published guidance.

Quarantine rules will remain for all those travelling from a red list country and for amber list countries unless double vaccinated.

All data will be kept under review, and contingency measures will be retained to manage periods of higher risk, such as winter. Guidance will be strengthened if needed, but restrictions will be avoided if possible due to their significant economic, social and health costs.

The government will review the current guidance in September