The Prime Minister has put in place his four-step plan to ease England’s coronavirus restrictions.
But what is supposed to happen in each step presented by Boris Johnson and how will that affect Herefordshire?
Step one
All students of all year groups can return to the classroom from 8th of March, with outdoor sports and outdoor activities that can also be restarted.
Ledbury Primary School has already announced that it is looking forward to welcoming all students back as it has only seen vulnerable children and children of key workers in the school since the start of the school year in January.
From this date on, people are also allowed to have socially distant one-on-one conversations with others in the open air. This means friends and family members can sit down for coffee or have a picnic in the park.
Nursing home residents are permitted a single visitor, with visitors taking a side flow test and wearing personal protective equipment.
In the second part of the first phase, larger groups could gather in parks and gardens March 29 – When the Stay At Home order ends and the messages are moved to Stay Local.
The “rule of six” will return, which means that up to six people or two households can meet outdoors.
Outdoor sports facilities like tennis and basketball courts are slated to reopen at the end of next month. Organized sports for adults and children – including grassroots football – can resume.
Step two
At least five weeks after step one and no earlier than 12. April, non-essential retail and personal care facilities such as hairdressers and nail salons are allowed to reopen libraries and museums.
All non-essential retail and personal care products have been closed in Herefordshire since the county switched to local Tier 3 restrictions on December 30th.
Gyms and leisure facilities such as swimming pools may be reopened, but the requirements for social contact indoors remain.
This means that people are only allowed to visit a museum or work out in a gym alone or with their own household.
Restaurants may be reopened, but only for outdoor purposes. This means that restaurants and pubs can only serve outdoor customers who are subject to the six or two household rule.
Until then, restaurants in the county can only be operated as takeaways.
The requirement for a large meal and curfews will be removed, but customers will have to take a seat when ordering food or drinks.
Independent accommodations such as campsites and holiday apartments, in which interior furnishings are not shared with other households, can only be reopened for overnight stays by households.
Funerals can continue for up to 30 people, while the number of people who can attend wedding receptions and guards will increase from the current six to 15.
Step three
In step three that won’t be earlier than 17th of May and at least five weeks after the second step, the government will further relax the limits of social contact.
The six-household and two-household rule will be lifted outdoors, although gatherings of more than 30 people in parks and gardens are still illegal.
In the meantime, up to six people or a larger group of up to two households can meet indoors. However, this needs to be verified.
Indoor hospitality – in pubs and restaurants – begins at that point where, in addition to entertainment options such as cinemas and children’s play areas, the rule of six or two households applies.
Larger indoor performances and sporting events with a capacity of 1,000 people or half full, whichever is lower, are allowed, while outdoors are 4,000 people or half full, whichever is lower.
Up to 30 people can attend weddings, receptions, and vigils, and funerals, and other life events such as bar mitzvah and baptism are permitted.
Step four
The last step will not be earlier than June 21st – and at least five weeks after the third step – if it is hoped that all legal restrictions on social contact will be lifted.
It is also hoped that the finally closed economic sectors such as nightclubs can reopen, while restrictions on major events could also be eased.
The Play Nighclub in Hereford has only opened since the week leading up to the UK’s first lockdown in March.