[Updated] From 5:00am on Tuesday, April 20th, a number of adjustments to the regulations will take effect, including a curfew from 8:00pm and 6:00am, retail stores being allowed to open for curbside service and delivery, and restaurants being allowed to offer takeout and delivery services, Premier David Burt announced at this evening’s press conference.
Summary of the changes to the regulations that will be in place on Tuesday
- Curfew from 8pm – 6am
- Retail stores can open for curbside & delivery
- Restaurants can open for take out & delivery
- Parks reopen
- Remote working continues to be mandatory where able
- Tynes Bay will reopen
- Groceries stores & gas station continue on alphabetical system
- Laundromats open by appointment to one household only
- Outdoor construction & landscaping able to resume.
- Farmers & fishermen allowed to sell
- Courier services allowed to operate
- Recreational boating allowed
- Mixing of households “is still unlawful”
Speaking at this evening’s press conference, Premier Burt said, “Therefore, from 5:00am Tuesday, April 20th, the following adjustments to the existing Stay at Home regulations will take effect.
“First thing, is that a curfew will be in place between 8:00pm and 6:00am every day. Permitted businesses will continue to be able to be open between the hours of 7:00am and 7:00pm.
“Retail stores, including pet stores, will be permitted to open for curbside service and delivery services. Restaurants and food service will resume for takeout and delivery only, subject to all necessary public health precautions, just like retail stores.
Extract with the Premier explaining the new regulations:
“Remote working will continue to be mandatory, however, we are working with the Chamber of Commerce and other stakeholders to provide a framework of testing employees before the return to work in those areas such as retail and food service that will reopen. This will promote a safe working environment for workers and customers alike.
“The Tynes Bay drop off facility will reopen for its usual operating hours on the alphabetical system. Supermarkets, grocery stores, and gas stations will continue to operate on the alphabetical system.
“Laundromats will permitted to open, and similar to last year, they will be open by appointment with one household at a time to minimize the mixing of households.
“Licensed fishermen and registered commercial farmers will be permitted to sell local fish and local produce respectively, the roadside and also to engage in delivering.
“Outdoor construction and landscaping services will be able to resume. Courier services will be permitted to operate. Parks will reopen, but the mixing of households, as I must remind, is still unlawful.
“Recreational boating will be allowed, but the mixing of households will not be allowed. This will be strictly enforced. All of the restrictions at this time are unchanged.”
The full 70-minute video, while we tried to extract the key portion as above, the Premier does mention the regulations at other times as well
“The regulations announced tonight will remain in place for at least the next 2 weeks, unless the data on the ground shows that we can move to the next phase sooner,” the Premier added.
The text above may not represent every single change, but is what was said during that section of the press conference. Normally the Government post an official document, which is usually few pages long, outlining all the changes to regulations, and we assume — not know — one will be posted for this as well, so when/if it is, we will post that. It tends to be released the day after the announcement.
