The Conversation (0)
James Besanvalle
Sep 09, 2020
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Social gatherings of more than six people will now be banned across England from 14 September, according to new rules announced on Tuesday evening.
You will no longer be able to meet up with more than five other people at a time in homes, parks, pubs and restaurants – but you can if you’re going to work, school, weddings, funerals and organised team sports.
Ahead of a formal press conference on Wednesday announcing the new rule, Boris Johnson said:
We need to act now to stop the virus spreading. So we are simplifying and strengthening the rules on social contact - making them easier to understand and for the police to enforce.
It is absolutely critical that people now abide by these rules and remember the basics - washing your hands, covering your face, keeping space from others, and getting a test if you have symptoms.
No 10 said any group of seven or more people gathering anywhere "risks being dispersed by police or fined for non-compliance".
First offenders will reportedly be fined £100, which will double on each further repeat offence up to £3,200.
It’s the 'baffling' exemptions causing a fierce backlash on Twitter though.
Some people questioned why the lockdown wasn’t going into immediate effect:
Coronavirus angry as it's been told it needs to wait until Monday to attack groups of 30 & to stay away from school… https://t.co/SWtz12ji5K— Miton (@Miton) 1599628396
August: Go out to eat and drink! Spend lots of money! We’ll give you 50% off! Staycations! Schools! Go back to your… https://t.co/gdRMavrPGS— Joe (@Joe) 1599607236
Why wait until Monday? Positive tests escalating fast, actions need to be taken immediately, government needs to st… https://t.co/H3IJ6d2bBR— CllrShirley Reynolds (@CllrShirley Reynolds) 1599600438
While others were just disappointed and angry, especially at the fact “Lockdown 2” was trending on Twitter:
my stable mental health after seeing lockdown 2 trending: https://t.co/VNiUOiTZBg— َ (@َ) 1599603898
Anyone just got that notification about banning six people gatherings from Monday wtf man scrap this year— tom mcgarry (@tom mcgarry) 1599601155
Me looking forward to 2021 and seeing lockdown 2 is trending https://t.co/43dKsoRNNk— 黑龙 🇳🇬 (@黑龙 🇳🇬) 1599603608
Lockdown 2? Even though we're not out of Lockdown 1? https://t.co/dvASIK1337— Haydn (@Haydn) 1599603262
Only 6 people aloud to meet in public again from Monday... https://t.co/5o0q3X19s9— Bradley (@Bradley) 1599601573
You know what this county is? A fucking shambles!! How can gatherings of six people be banned when everyone’s been… https://t.co/pzm4bY5BUi— B E K (@B E K) 1599601125
Many people pointed out the mixed messaging in encouraging them to spend money to help out the economy – such as with the “Eat Out To Help Out” scheme last month – and enforcing this new rule:
August: Go out, socialise, eat and drink, spend money and we’ll even pay for half of it. September: You’ve been se… https://t.co/3EtjtYesmL— Ali (@Ali) 1599629819
So wait, it’s illegal for more than six people to gather in England, unless someone is making a profit from it? W… https://t.co/QmQmWenDrV— Kerry-Anne Mendoza 🏳️🌈 (@Kerry-Anne Mendoza 🏳️🌈) 1599630277
#Lockdown2 - couldn't the government just bag up whatever magic pixie dust that'll be protecting our schools and wo… https://t.co/xh5YzLXLtY— Darren Hebden (@Darren Hebden) 1599627960
August: 50% off Eating Out, Going Pubs, Gyms etc September: Mr Boris Johnson: Lockdown 2.0 anyone???? #Lockdown2 https://t.co/pTaro4vCG6— Anton McFarlane (SixStars FM) #KroenkeOut (@Anton McFarlane (SixStars FM) #KroenkeOut) 1599609673
so gatherings of more than six people are now illegal, but you can go to the pub maskless with five other people an… https://t.co/DO3fxNXfPW— lex croucher ⚔️ isn’t here (@lex croucher ⚔️ isn’t here) 1599600894
With Lockdown 2 trending and young people getting blamed, may I remind you of this: The Government encouraged peopl… https://t.co/WOC8oWKLv5— kate (@kate) 1599603694
Many people called out the double standard of letting kids go back to school – where they’ll likely be in classrooms of up to 30 people – but enforcing this new six-person rule:
hate to say it, but why are schools of 2000+ kids still open if six people is unsafe to gather https://t.co/FYPXreEpnQ— Eve Cornwell (@Eve Cornwell) 1599601199
Corona looking at schools but then realising that Boris made an exception for them #Lockdown2 https://t.co/7ccrtIHgSu— Salalalah (@Salalalah) 1599607887
From Monday #Covid19UK #coronavirus #lockdown2 https://t.co/VKD5l57YGY— S.Green (@S.Green) 1599603107
Family members can’t meet in groups larger than 6 but your germ ridden kids who cough like this are fine in school… https://t.co/kaZdSYs5lm— Sami (@Sami) 1599631539
This government. I’m no expert, but it occurs to me that announcing a ban on public gatherings of more than six o… https://t.co/hIhMsYsnIo— Samuel West 💙 (@Samuel West 💙) 1599629908
Corona when it sees a group of 6+ together but they’re in school uniform https://t.co/RdLxixK4Wr https://t.co/ngfMDaY1Qw— Maroti 7611053 (@Maroti 7611053) 1599601140
And same for work:
Coronavirus when it sees a group of more than 6 but then realises they’re going to work. #Lockdown2 https://t.co/XSHbhKgaxH— Zoheb (@Zoheb) 1599627572
Limits on meeting more than 6 people you say? Fine - I’ll ponder that whilst sitting in the office at work with my… https://t.co/d0TPcGyV0h— Tall&Firey (@Tall&Firey) 1599627917
No meeting in group of six people but you can have 100 people jammed in the tube. This is purely because virus hate… https://t.co/VgglxLrmXf— Hardip Barot (@Hardip Barot) 1599632020
@DanielHewittITV What the fuck is wrong with our idiots in charge, so technically I can work with all my colleges n… https://t.co/iZYoWLOqwN— Matty (@Matty) 1599630487
And even weddings:
Corona virus when it detects more than six people socialising, only to realise that it’s a wedding with 30 guests s… https://t.co/3KfwQ2TDsi— Kelechi (@Kelechi) 1599604490