Public health experts have clarified some of the new rules as Swindon and Wiltshire enter Tier 2 today. 

Speaking to BBC Wiltshire this morning, Swindon Borough Council director of public health Steve Maddern welcomed the “fantastic news” that the UK had approved the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine for use.  

He said: ““It’s a really fantastic public health effort here it’s a fantastic news that we have the first of hopefully many vaccines being approved for use in England, so a really important tool for our fight against Covid, not the only tool, so it’s not a time to become complacent we still need to be following all the other rules at this time.  

“It’ll take a little while for us to vaccinate as many people as the government anticipate vaccinating. It’s a great step forward in our fight against Covid.” 

Answering questions from listeners to Marie Lennon’s morning show, Mr Maddern clarified some of the rules…

Travel 

Mr Maddern said people living in Tier 2 are not allowed to travel to Tier 3 areas and vice versa.  

He said: “Although Swindon and Wiltshire are in Tier 2, the recommendation is to limit your travel, but you shouldn’t be travelling from a Tier 2 area into a Tier 3, unless you’re going there for work, education, medical purposes, or caring responsibilities.” 

Pubs  

Pubs, cafes, and restaurant are allowed to open from today, but they can only serve alcohol with a substantial meal.   

Mr Maddern said: “They have to be providing substantial food as part of their offers, so you can only have a drink if you’re having a substantial meal. 

“From the pub’s perspective, they still need to be demonstrating that they are meeting those Covid-secure guidelines.” 

He added: “You’re only allowed to be in the pub if you’re in that household group, so there’s no intergroup mixing, so you can’t have that mixed group of six, and it’s very much focused on making that those Covid secure rules are in place to protect everyone.

“You can only go to the pub if you’re within your household or bubble, so if you have somebody else attached to your household, then that’d be allowed.  

“You do get a lot of debates about quite trivial things, but yes, a scotch egg, is a bar snack in my view so it doesn’t count.” 

Coffee shops 

Mr Maddern confirmed that people will not have to order food in coffee shops.  

He said: “You’re not obliged to eat anything if you’re going to a coffee shop. If you just want coffee, that’s fine.” 

Gym/indoor exercises

Under Tier 2 rules, group classes and organised indoor sports are permitted, as long as people can avoid mixing with people they do not live with.  

Mr Maddern said: “If these are professionally-delivered exercise classes, as long as the Covid secure steps are put in place, then they can take place.” 

Relationships 

Mr Maddern said: “People shouldn’t be going to tier 3 areas into lesser tiers and vice and versa. You should only be crossing those borders if you’re going for work.

“Depending on their circumstances they could bubble up, if either one of them is a single adult or an adult with children, then they could bubble up with another household. “ 

Christmas 

People will be allowed to form an exclusive ‘Christmas bubble’ comprising no more than three other households.  

But is there a maximum of people per household? 

Mr Maddern said: “There’s no number restrictions, that’s being clear, the focus is very much on the allowing of the mixing of three households.  

“The key point here is to look at it sensibly, obviously the number of people that you increase into that, increase that potential risk. Just have a think about that when you are making your Christmas plan, but also make sure that you’re kind of keeping your home as Covid secure as you can during that time, make sure people are washing their hands, keeping their hands clean, keep the distance as much as you possibly can." 

Private garden or beer garden  

Wiltshire Council director of public health Kate Blackburn said: “In Tier 2, you can see friends and family that you don’t live with outdoors.  

“I think the key here, even if you’re meeting with that group of six, you must maintain social distancing. And that limit of six does include children of any age.”