England’s Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, has revealed that starting this Saturday, single adult households will be permitted to create a “support bubble” with another household.
This allows them to spend the night with their partners for the first time since the lockdown commenced over 11 weeks ago.
The introduction of “support bubbles” also facilitates single parents and isolated grandparents to visit their children or have their grandchildren at their homes without the requirement for two-meter social distancing, to assist with childcare.
Regarding the new arrangement, the prime minister emphasized that if any member of a support bubble displays symptoms of coronavirus, all members must self-isolate for 14 days, following current guidelines.
During the daily press conference at Number 10, Mr. Johnson expressed empathy, saying, “I know how difficult the past months have been for people cut off from their friends and family.”
“Last Monday we relaxed the rules on meeting outdoors, allowing groups of six to gather while maintaining social distance,” he added, highlighting the lower transmission rate outdoors as a basis for this change.
Furthermore, he reiterated that the shift to allowing single adult households to form support bubbles with another household was targeted at alleviating the loneliness experienced due to the lockdown.
However, he cautioned that this change is not intended for those who do not meet the qualifying criteria and emphasized that it remains illegal for them to meet inside each other’s homes.
This announcement coincides with the UK’s coronavirus death toll reaching 41,128, with an additional 245 deaths reported. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) confirmed that 41,128 people have succumbed to the virus after testing positive in hospitals, care homes, and the wider community.
Out of the 6,042,622 tests conducted in the UK, 290,143 cases have been confirmed positive.