COVID-19 Updates – week commencing 12/10/20
More updates of developments from the government and various links to interpretation and guidance.
Go to date:
12 October 2020 …
Tourism Alliance updates
Further details have been published on the restrictions related to the three tier Covid Alert System. The most important restrictions relate to Very High Alert Level area and advise against non-essential travel in or out of the area and staying overnight in or outside the area
Local COVID Alert Level – Medium
This is for areas where national restrictions continue to be in place. This means:
· All businesses and venues can continue to operate, in a COVID-Secure manner, other than those that remain closed in law, such as nightclubs.
· Certain businesses selling food or drink on their premises are required to close between 10pm and 5am.
· Businesses and venues selling food for consumption off the premises can continue to do so after 10pm as long as this is through delivery service, click-and-collect or drive-thru.
· Schools, universities and places of worship remain open
· Weddings and funerals can go ahead with restrictions on the number of attendees
· Organised indoor sport and exercise classes can continue to take place, provided the Rule of Six is followed
· People must not meet in groups larger than 6, indoors or outdoors
Local COVID Alert Level – High
This is for areas with a higher level of infections. This means the following additional measures are in place:
- People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place
- People must not meet in a group of more than 6 outside, including in a garden or other space.
- People should aim to reduce the number of journeys they make where possible. If they need to travel, they should walk or cycle where possible, or to plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport.
Local COVID Alert Level – Very High
This is for areas with a very high level of infections. The Government will set a baseline of measures for any area in this local alert level. Consultation with local authorities will determine additional measures.
The baseline means the below additional measures are in place:
· Pubs and bars must close, and can only remain open where they operate as if they were a restaurant – which means serving substantial meals, like a main lunchtime or evening meal. They may only serve alcohol as part of such a meal.
· Wedding receptions are not allowed
· People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor or outdoor setting, whether at home or in a public space. The Rule of Six applies in open public spaces like parks and beaches.
· People should try to avoid travelling outside the ‘Very High’ area they are in, or entering a ‘Very High’ area, other than for things like work, education, accessing youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if they are in transit.
· People should avoid staying overnight in another part of the UK if they are resident in a ‘Very High’ area, or avoid staying overnight in a ‘Very High’ area if they are resident elsewhere.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-announces-new-local-covid-alert-levels
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/local-covid-alert-levels-what-you-need-to-know
Liverpool Area Restrictions
At the moment Liverpool is the only area in the Very High Alert category. Here is the press release on this highlighting the restrictions that will apply in the area from Wednesday
CPT operations update:
COVID CONTROL RESTRICTIONS UPDATE – NEW THREE TIER APPROACH ANNOUNCED
Following the Prime Minister’s statement to Parliament this afternoon, there are potential implications which may be significant and could affect bus and coach travel as a result.
The much trailed tiered approach which defines the risk from Coronavirus in local areas and applies three levels of restrictions to combat this, is confirmed and will result in:.
Tier 1 – Medium Risk
– Rule of six applies
– 10pm curfew on all pubs, restaurants, shops et
– Work from home where possible
– Maintain 2m social distancing, 1m with mitigations
Residents in areas categorised in tier 1 are still able to travel outside their area to other tier 1 or 2 areas, we believe this will allow coach trips to continue, albeit to a more limited range of destinations, however the guidance revisions expected in the next 24 hours will confirm this.
Tier 2 – High Risk
– All of the above
– No social gatherings indoors
– People should aim to reduce the number of journeys they make where possible. If they need to travel, they should walk or cycle where possible, or to plan ahead and avoid busy times and routes on public transport.
Providing the same guidance on holidays applies, residents in Tier 1 or 2 areas would be allowed to travel to other Tier 1 or 2 areas, but again we cannot confirm this until the guidance is updated in the next 24 hours.
Nottinghamshire, East and West Cheshire and High Peak are among the areas added to those in the North of England and Midlands which were already under extended measures to tackle the virus.
Tier 3 – Very High Risk
These are the most onerous restrictions and result in all of the above with the addition of:
• – People should try to avoid travelling outside the ‘Very High’ area they are in, or entering a ‘Very High’ area, other than for things like work, education, accessing youth services, to meet caring responsibilities or if they are in transit.
– Closure of all pubs and bars, restaurants can however remain open
– Closure of gyms, leisure facilities, casinos and bookmakers – with local agreement
– People must not meet with anybody outside their household or support bubble in any indoor or outdoor setting, whether at home or in a public space. The Rule of Six applies in open public spaces like parks and beaches.
In these instances, we see no possibility of running coach trips to, from or within a “Very High” risk designated area and it is advised that whilst travel through areas is permitted, journeys should not involve any stops.
Liverpool City Region will become an area under “Very High” risk restrictions from Wednesday.
It will be possible to confirm the status of local areas using a Postcode locator which will be operational on the .Gov website.
Whilst much depends on the guidance, due to be updated in the next 24hours, the implications for the coach sector could be wide ranging and may result in significant loss of business for operators based not only in “Very High” risk areas, but also those hundreds of miles away in areas less affected, but who will still suffer a significant downturn as a result of having to cancel trips to more restricted areas.
13 October 2020 …
Tourism Alliance updates:
Causes of Transmission
No doubt you will have seen the report regarding the transmission of Coronavirus in the UK saying that 30% of the cases were the result exposure to the virus in hospitality settings. This came from a cabinet Office briefing pack published yesterday that contained an early analysis from Public Health England enhanced contact tracing data. It is worth noting that the table with the data states that it is a table of all of the settings and events reported in common by two or more confirmed cases – so it is a table of possible transmission events, not confirmed transmission events.
National Museum Figures
The weekly update from DCMS on visitor numbers to the National Museums indicates that visitor numbers have levelled off at 20% of what is expected at this time of year
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/daily-visitors-to-dcms-sponsored-museums-and-galleries
ONS Social and Economic Impact Research
This week’s wave of the ONS’s social impact survey has been published which continues to show a drop-off in tourism and hospitality related activity. Specifically:
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- The percentage of people going to a pub or restaurant during the week decreased further from 28% to 25%
- The percentage of people visiting at beach, beauty or heritage site decreased from 9% to 6%
- The percentage of people going on holiday or taking a break remained at 5%
On the economic side, the August GDP figures came out showing growth of 2.1% in August. The main reason for this was that 65% of the monthly growth in the service sector came from accommodation and food and beverage service activities as a result of more businesses opening up to take advantage of the Eat Out to Help Out scheme and increased demand for staycations. In a deeper dive on the accommodation sector they found:
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- While accommodation grew by 84.4%, output was still 22.1% less than February 2020
14 October 2020 …
CPT update:
TRAVEL TO WALES TO BE FURTHER RESTRICTED
Travel from high risk areas to be banned
First Minister in Wales, Mark Drakeford has today confirmed that his Government plans to restrict travel to the country by visitors from those areas with high incidence of Covid in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
The announcement confirms that anyone from the top two tiers of risk in England, High or Very High, will be barred from entering Wales, with similar measures being applied to those from the worst affected areas in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Currently, travel only to and from those areas under local lockdown measures in Wales is not permitted. Travel to the five areas not under these restrictions – Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Powys, Ceredigion and Gwynned – can still go ahead, something which has raised concerns among Welsh representatives from those areas in recent weeks
If enacted, the restrictions will come into play from 6pm on Friday, immediately affecting coach tours due to travel from affected areas to the Principality.
The move comes as another severe blow to the coach industry, further extinguishing the embers of a resurgence as the industry struggles to maintain momentum in restarting tours following the extended period of inactivity as a result of the pandemic.
