April 12 rules: Rule of Six only, social distancing stays and indoor mixing still banned

BRITS have to stick to social distancing guidelines and must abide by the Rule of Six after April 12, the PM confirmed today.

Boris Johnson laid out the Covid rules still in place in the next step of lockdown easing - including the continued ban on indoor socialising.

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Despite salons and hairdressers opening on Monday, Boris Johnson said there would be no changes to the current rules on social contact.

Brits must continue to keep their distance and stay away from people outside of their household or bubble, the PM urged.

Outdoor gatherings must still be limited to the Rule of Six or two households - which was a new freedom unlocked on March 29.

And even after April 12, Brits aren't allowed to socialise indoors with anyone from a different household or with someone you haven't formed a support bubble with.

As outdoor hospitality opens up again, social distancing must still be adhered to with pals only allowed to have pints within the Rule of Six.

But unlike with the rules last year, alfresco pubs and restaurants don't need to serve a substantial meal for alcohol to be sold.

And the 10pm curfew - which people were subject to in 2020 - has been scrapped.

It comes as...

• Gyms, zoos, drive-in cinemas and beauty salons WILL reopen on April 12
• Brits have to stick to social distancing guidelines and must abide by the Rule of Six after April 12, the PM confirmed today
• The PM vowed he'd be in the pub on April 12
• Indoor cinemas and bingo halls to stay closed until May 17 under roadmap out of lockdown
• Boris Johnson confirms pubs, shops, and hairdressers WILL open on April 12 as UK takes major step out of lockdown
• UK Covid deaths drop 90 per cent in a month with 26 new fatalities and 2,762 new cases
• Boris Johnson urges Brits to carry on working from home and ‘minimise travel’
• The holiday destinations most likely to get quarantine-free status
• Pub-goers WON'T need to order food on April 12

But punters still won't be able to stand up and drink by the bar - and will have to stay seated while in the pub.

Boris himself even vowed that he'd be in the pub on April 12.

And in facilities such as hairdressers, beauty and nail salons, and indoor leisure like gyms and spas, people must continue to social distance.

The British Beer and Pub Association warned that even though they're being allowed to reopen, many bars won't be able to turn a profit on just outdoors trade alone.

Its boss Emma McClarkin said: "Those who open are those who are desperate to reconnect to customers, provide that vital meeting point for people in more isolated areas.

STEP BY STEP

"It will be loss-making but businesses are making preparations to get back to what they do best.”

Meanwhile, the number of people losing their lives to Covid in the UK has dropped almost 90 per cent in just a month as another 26 deaths were recorded.

The numbers of those newly-diagnosed with the deadly bug have plunged 53 per cent per cent month-on-month.

On March 5, 5,947 new cases and 236 deaths were recorded. But both positive tests and the number of casualties dying of the virus have since plunged.

On both Saturday and Sunday, 10 coronavirus deaths were recorded - the lowest daily tolls since September 14.

And yesterday's new cases - 2,297 - is the lowest number recorded since last summer.

By comparison, more than 1,000 people died of Covid on average each day in January, making it the deadliest month of the pandemic so far for Britain.

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In England, another 15 people who had tested positive for the deadly bug died.

Patients were aged between 51 and 90, and all had known underlying health conditions.