‘Boris bubbles’ let millions see partner or hug grandkids – if they live alone
OLDER people living alone may be able to hug their grandchildren from this weekend, Boris Johnson said last night.
Unveiling a partial easing of the lockdown rules in England, the Prime Minister said 11 million adults living alone will be able to form a ‘support bubble’ with one other household from Saturday.
Those inside the bubble will be allowed to abandon social distancing rules – enabling them to hug, visit each other’s homes and stay overnight.
The move will help ease the heartache faced by millions living alone since the lockdown was introduced on March 23.
Older people living alone will be able to form a ‘bubble’ with a son or daughter and all members of their household.
However, they will only be able to make the arrangement with one household, leading to agonising choices.
Many couples living apart will also be able to see each other without social distancing for the first time in almost three months, easing the so-called ‘sex ban’.
Single parents with children aged under 18 will be covered by the move, potentially allowing them to form a ‘bubble’ with a friend or relative to provide support or childcare. The new policy will help an estimated 8.2 million people living alone and 2.9 million one-parent families.
But with cases of coronavirus still running stubbornly high, millions of other families will have to wait longer before they can hug their loved ones again.
They will remain limited to outdoor gatherings of no more than six others – with social distancing.
Announcing the plan for support bubbles last night, the Mr Johnson said: ‘I know how difficult the past months have been for people cut off from their family and friends. There are still too many people, particularly those who live by themselves, who are by themselves and struggling.’
Mr Johnson acknowledged many people would be disappointed by the restrictions on eligibility, but cautioned that the change was not an excuse for a free-for-all.
He added: ‘It’s a targeted intervention to limit the most harmful effects of the current social restrictions. It is emphatically not designed for people who don’t qualify to start meeting inside other people’s homes, because that remains against the law.’
Questions are likely to be asked over how well the scheme can be policed, with No 10 admitting it will be ‘taken on trust’.
A spokesman said: ‘People have shown great responsibility in following social distancing rules – they understand the need not to spread the virus between households.’