Tier Four - What it means for Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire will be under Tier Four restrictions from Thursday December 31 under the Government’s Winter Plan to tackle the spread of Covid-19.

It means non-essential shops, beauty and personal care businesses, gyms and indoor entertainment venues must all close — as they did during the national lockdown between March and July earlier this year.

And the toughest set of rules yet also means people must stay at home unless they have a “reasonable excuse” to go out such as essential shopping, exercise, work, education of medical reasons.

You can only meet one person from another household in an open public space.

What can you do in tier four?

■ Meeting one other person from another household in an open public space, if you are both alone

■ Shopping for essentials such as food and medicine — essential retailers such as supermarkets will remain open

■ Outdoor pools, gyms, playgrounds, public gardens, sports courts, golf courses and horse riding centres can remain open

■ Leave home for work, education, training, childcare and for medical appointments and emergencies

■ Places of worship can open for services — but you cannot mix indoors with people outside your household or support bubble

■ Support bubbles are still allowed and children can move between separated parents

■ Up to 30 people can attend someone's funeral and up to 15 people a wake, ash spreading or other linked events but not in someone's home

What you cannot do in Tier Four

■ You cannot meet other people indoors, unless you live with them or they are part of your support bubble

■ All non-essential shops must close

■ Hospitality venues are closed except for takeaway, drive-through and delivery services

■ Personal care businesses such as hair, nail and beauty salons will be closed. These services cannot be provided in private homes

■ Indoor entertainment venues must close

■ Gyms and indoor swimming pools, indoor sports courts and dance studios must close

■ People should not leave Tier Four areas or travel abroad except for limited reasons — including work and education

■ Weddings and civil partnerships can only take place in exceptional circumstances, for example, if one partner is seriously ill. These are limited to six people

■ Clinically extremely vulnerable people are advised to stay at home as much as possible and not go to work if they cannot work from home