Covid-19: North East households mixing ban 'confusing' ( Archived) (18)

The government has been accused of creating "doubt and uncertainty" with its announcement of

People who break a new law, which comes into force on Wednesday amid a spike in Covid-19 cases, will be fined.

Households mixing in indoor settings, such as pubs and restaurants, will be illegal, the health secretary has said.

But a council leader said a lack of detail about the measures had led to people spreading half truths and myths.

Education minister Gillian Keegan was earlier unable to clarify whether the new restrictions stopped people meeting outside in pub and restaurant gardens, as well as inside.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, she said: "I don't know the answer to that question."

Newcastle City Council's Labour leader Nick Forbes said having a "gap between what's announced in headlines and the details that people can understand" undermined the "principle of community consent".

"What that does is sow confusion, it creates doubt, it creates uncertainty," he added.

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Ms Keegan was pressed on how people were supposed to keep up to date with the latest restrictions when ministers could not but said: "I'm sorry I can't answer that question.

"I'm sure there are many people who could - I don't represent the North East."

The rules would be "communicated very clearly" to the people affected, she said.

The BBC has been told mixing with other households in pub gardens or outdoor restaurant spaces is not being made illegal but goes against advice.

The Department for Health and Social Care has been approached for comment and asked when the new rules would be published.

It has made clear informal childcare from family members, such as grandparents, will still be permitted but on "an exclusive basis - always the same two households".

About two million people in Newcastle, Northumberland, Gateshead, North Tyneside, South Tyneside, Sunderland and the County Durham council area had already been advised to avoid mixing but the new rules will be enforced with fines.

For those over 18 it would be £200 for a first offence and halved if paid within 14 days.

Second offences would incur a £400 fine, which would then double for each subsequent offence up to a maximum of £6,400.

Police had not been given "any notice whatsoever" that new restrictions were to be announced, Mr Forbes said.

He criticised Health Secretary Matt Hancock for announcing the changes in Parliament "without telling us he was about to do so".

Gateshead Council leader Martin Gannon accepted the rules were "necessary" but said the authority had been "inundated" by people asking for details.

"It is a bit chaotic how these things happen," he said.

The new laws on household mixing send a strong message - even though there has been some initial confusion about exactly how they will be applied.

But questions are also naturally being asked whether these rules will be applied elsewhere. The North West has areas with higher rates of infection.

In the North East, only Newcastle is in the top 10 worst affected places currently, whereas several Greater Manchester and Merseyside areas feature.

The reason for this anomaly appears to be down to North East leaders being more enthusiastic for tougher measures.



Ref Yahoo.

And this is just the beginning, how is your area.

I must admit I'm a tad confused.

The Prime Minister just came on TV and apologised for the lack of clarity of the latest covid instructions.

Yeh till the next time!!!!

I'm afraid it can't be explained in 5 words or less, ask a responsible adult to assist you.

what did they do, shoot you all

Franklin County
As of Tue, Sep 29, 2020, 10:57 AM EDT
Confirmed Cases27,119
3.3%Since last week
Deaths607
0.6%Since last week

My God you really believe what Trump tells you