Coronavirus National lockdown: Stay at Home

Last updated: Thursday 7 January 2021

The new variant of covid-19 is spreading fast. Around 1 in 3 people with coronavirus have no symptoms but can still pass it on, putting people at risk of serious disease and renewing pressure on our NHS.

Vaccines give clear hope for the future but the rising infection rate requires action now. Once more, we must all stay at home.

If it's essential to go out, remember to wash your hands, cover your face and make space.

Summary guidance

You must stay at home. The single most important action we can all take is to stay at home to protect the NHS and save lives.

You should follow this guidance immediately. The law will be updated to reflect these new rules.

Leaving home

You must not leave, or be outside of your home except where necessary. You may leave the home to:

shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person
go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home
exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one
seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse)
attend education or childcare - for those eligible

Colleges, primary and secondary schools will remain open only for vulnerable children and the children of critical workers. All other children will learn remotely until February half term. Early Years settings remain open.

Higher Education provision will remain online until mid February for all except future critical worker courses.

If you do leave home for a permitted reason, you should always stay local in the village, town, or part of the city where you live. You may leave your local area for a legally permitted reason, such as for work.

If you are clinically extremely vulnerable you should only go out for medical appointments, exercise or if it is essential. You should not attend work and you should take extra steps to stay safe:

Meeting others

You cannot leave your home to meet socially with anyone you do not live with or are not in a support bubble with (if you are legally permitted to form one).

You may exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.

You should not meet other people you do not live with, or have formed a support bubble with, unless for a permitted reason.

Stay 2 metres apart from anyone not in your household.

Remember: Hands. Face. Space.

Approximately 1 in 3 people who have coronavirus have no symptoms and could be spreading it without realising it.

Do the simple things we must all do to keep on protecting each other

Detailed guidance on the national lockdown

Go to gov.uk National lockdown: Stay at Home guidance

Outbreak management

Our Outbreak Control Plan sets out ways in which Bury Council, the local NHS and other partner organisations aim to manage local outbreaks.

Local outbreaks are identified and managed through continuous monitoring of the available data.

See the latest national COVID-19 surveillance reports

Coronavirus National Lockdown: Stay at Home