Cities fall silent as nation
Can my separated partner and I still share custody of our kids?
Yes. Children under 18 are still allowed to travel between both of their parents’ homes, Cabinet Minister Michael Gove clarified – moments after he said the exact opposite. However, he said moving between households in this case should be “kept to a minimum”.
I don’t live with my boyfriend or girlfriend – can I visit them?
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer confirmed boyfriends and girlfriends who live apart should stay apart. But she said lovers can move in with each other full-time and stay there for the duration of the lockdown.
Can I get petrol and an MOT?
Yes - for petrol, but people should not be making any non-essential journeys, including within the UK. As for MOTs, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency said it was keeping the situation under review.
Am I still allowed to go to banks and post offices?
Yes. People may go “infrequently” to these places if it is “essential”, for instance posting legal papers or essential financial work. No10 said: “The businesses that were left open were on the basis that they are providing essential services to the public.”
Can I move house?
There is no government ban on moving house and vehicle hire services remain open. Mr Gove accepted there will be “specific circumstances” where the process is already under way, meaning people continue to buy or sell homes amid the pandemic. But he said: “If at all possible, people should stay in their current home.”
Can I still play golf?
No. “I don’t think people should be playing golf,” Mr Gove said. Clubhouses are likely to be shut anyway. He said people should define exercise specifically as “one walk, one run or one cycle per day”.
Can I still go to my allotment?
Yes. Mr Gove said: “I think it’s perfectly sensible for people to go to an allotment. “It’s in the very nature of allotments that there’s a safe distance between people who are working on an individual allotment.”
Is there a limit on how long my daily walk, cycle or run can be?
No, but people are asked to use common sense. Mr Gove said: “People can go for the standard length of run or walk they ordinarily would have done.” Can I still deliver food to relatives or volunteer for strangers?
Yes. Mr Gove said dropping food at vulnerable people’s doors “is an appropriate activity”. He added: “Making sure the vulnerable receive the support they need is absolutely critical.” How many times can I walk the dog?
The rules say you should go out only for essential shopping “infrequently”, and for exercise once per day. If you live in a household with more than one person, go out separately with the dog at different times, once each, to maximise the animal’s time outdoors.
Lone man crosses Westminster Bridge
TOWNS and cities were almost deserted yes- terday as the nation went into lockdown.
Polls showed 93% of the population backed Boris Johnson’s measures.
From Westminster Bridge to Blackpool prom, normally packed public spaces fell silent.
A tiny minority who flouted the rules, were dealt with by police. Officers in Kent dispersed a group of young men from a children’s play area in
Mote Park, Maidstone.
In Coventry, police shut down a barbecue, set up outside a block of flats by a group of more than 20 people.
West Midlands Police said: “Despite the warning the group refused and began protesting they should be allowed to continue their barbecue. “Our officers felt they needed to end the gathering by tipping over the BBQ and insisting the group dispersed to their homes.” ITV Anglia correspondent Matthew Hudson described Cambridge city centre as “practically DISPERSAL Police in Kent deserted”. He added: “Never