Couples told: Live together… or stay apart
Michelle Mone among those calling off big days
COUPLES who live apart should not see each other during the coronavirus lockdown, the government said yesterday.
Deputy chief medical officer Jenny Harries said it would ‘defeat the purpose’ of tough social distancing rules if couples who live in different households continued to meet up.
Speaking at a press conference, Dr Harries said boyfriends and girlfriends who could not bear to be apart for what could be an extended period should consider ‘testing the strength’ of their relationship by moving in together now.
Dr Harries also said staff who feel their firms are not taking the risk of the coronavirus seriously should raise it ‘very firmly’ with their boss. But Health Secretary Matt Hancock said those who could not work from home, and who are not employed in sectors shut down by the government, should continue to travel to work to help ‘keep the country running’.
Downing Street yesterday insisted the lockdown rules were ‘crystal clear’ about the need for people to stay at home except in a number of defined scenarios.
But the rules did appear to spark confusion, with even Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove forced to issue a correction after wrongly suggesting the children of separated couples would have to remain with the parent they are with throughout the lockdown. No10 also clarified that key workers can leave their homes to take their children to and from school.
The new social distancing rules mean people should not visit each other’s homes and should not get within 6ft of each other if they meet in public.
Asked about non-cohabiting couples, Dr Harries said: ‘What we do not want is people switching in and out of households. It defeats the purpose of the reduction in social interactions.’
THOUSANDS of couples saw their wedding plans left in chaos yesterday after ceremonies were banned in the coronavirus lockdown.
Marriages and christenings were effectively outlawed under new social distancing restrictions, forcing families to cancel or postpone.
Couples were also left facing heartbreaking decisions over whether older relatives would be able to attend ceremonies, even after the initial three-week restrictions are reviewed.
And they could be left with bills for thousands of pounds if insurers do not cover all the costs for cancelled weddings.
Baroness Michelle Mone is among those forced to postpone her wedding amid the pandemic.
The 48-year-old had been due to marry billionaire fiancé Doug Barrowman, 54, in the 13th Century Chapel of St Mary Undercroft in Westminster, also known as the House of Lords church.
She said: ‘It’s been two years in the planning and of course we’re disappointed, but safety comes first. I feel for everyone who is in the same situation and hope they, like us, will be looking forward to a celebration in the future.’
The couple, who both grew up in
Glasgow, had been expected to hold their wedding reception at the five-star Corinthia hotel in Westminster.
STV News reporter Courtney Cameron is another bride forced to cancel her big day.
She took the decision after large gatherings were banned, but before weddings were ruled out altogether.
Sharing her sadness on Twitter last week, she wrote: ‘Disappointed we’ve had to postpone our dream wedding today but there are so many people out there in terrible situations, we just feel thankful to have each other and our health at the moment. Stay safe everyone.’
The Prime Minister has included weddings and christenings in his list of banned gatherings for the next three weeks, although he said funerals can still go ahead.
This ruling was echoed by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
The ban will also hit potential guests. Over-70s and those with serious health conditions have been told to self-isolate for 12 weeks, meaning they would be unable to attend any wedding during that time.
The measures come only weeks after Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds announced
‘Two years in the planning’
their own plan to get hitched. Last month, the couple, who are expecting a baby in early summer, said they became engaged at the end of last year.
However, no date for the wedding has been stated.
Churches in Scotland have said that they will adhere to the new measures. A spokesman for the Catholic Church said: ‘There will be no celebrations of baptism or marriage, but we will continue to offer prayers for those who have died and for their families who mourn their passing.’
The Church of Scotland urged those with an event planned to contact their minister directly to discuss their circumstances.
Those who planned to marry abroad have also been hit by the ban on all but essential travel.