Easing of restrictions from next Monday

Under the latest easing of lockdown restrictions from next Monday:

• • People in England will be able to meet outdoors in groups of up to 30 people; and meet indoors in groups of up to six people, or as two households. Children of any age, including babies, will count towards the limit of six people indoors
• • People will have the choice whether to socially distance with close family and friends they are meeting up with. But they are urged to remain cautious about the risks of hugging
• • Secondary schools and colleges will no longer require pupils to wear masks in classrooms or communal areas
• • All university students will be able to return to in-person teaching
• • Pubs, bars and restaurants will be able to serve people indoors, while cinemas, museums and indoor children’s play areas will reopen
• • Theatres, concert venues, conference centres and sports stadiums can reopen, albeit with limits on the size of audiences and crowds
• • Adult sports can resume indoors and saunas and steam rooms can reopen
• • People will be allowed to stay overnight somewhere else in the UK in groups of up to six people, or two households
• • People will be able to travel abroad to those countries on the “green list”
• • Weddings, receptions and other life events will be allowed to take place with up to 30 people
• • The cap on the number of people allowed to attend funerals will be lifted, in line with how many people can be safely accommodated in venues
• • Care home residents will be able to have up to five named visitors and allowed greater freedoms to make visits out of their homes

Despite the further easing of restrictions on the number of guests allowed at weddings, Downing Street said people in England will not be allowed to dance at weddings.

Deaths

There have been no further hospital deaths announced today

Test results

Six additional positive test results were announced today. Brings cumulative total up to 12,320

The number of cases in the City falls from 33 to 29.

We are currently seeing a fairly stable picture with around 5 new cases being identified, on average, each day.

The rate /100k population now 13.77. It is likely to fluctuate around 15 for the rest of the week.

The graph below, which compares the trends seen in the three COVID-19 waves, has been reset to focus on the recovery period. This highlights that there is still some way to go before infection rates are as low as was seen last summer.

Neighbourhoods

Vaccinations

Tests

• 4005 PCR tests were carried out in the City during the week ending 5th May.
• Of these, 0.6% were positive. This is lower than the 0.8% recorded on the previous day.
• In addition, 4292 “lateral flow” tests were conducted on 9th May

Hospitals

Small increase (1) today in the number of COVID-19 cases being treated at the hospital