Expats’ guide to Freedom Day, masks, meetings and more

Expats used to Spain’s rules about face masks, going out and Covid etiquette in a variety of settings, may be perplexed by rules in the UK, here is what you need to know.

People arriving to the UK from amber list countries will not have to be quarantined if they are under 18 or have both doses of a Covid vaccine. But they will be asked to take a test three days before returning, and must take a test on or before the second day after their return.

The legal requirement to wear a mask in England is no longer in place, but lots of places and transport companies still want you to wear one when on their premises. The government is urging people to be respectful of businesses that ask you to wear a mask.

In London, anyone using the tube or buses will have to wear a mask, and airlines such as Ryanair, British Airways, easyJet and Wizz Air will continue to require face masks, as will the Eurostar service and Uber taxis.

There is no longer a limit on how many people you can meet indoors or outside in England as the “rule of six” has been dropped. You could throw a house party if you wanted.

Social distancing rules are also gone for everyone except those self-isolating after a positive test and in airports to prevent mixing between people arriving from high-risk countries.

Nightclubs and bars, festivals, sports stadium and concert halls in England are also freed from social distancing meaning they are open to punters but some venues may ask to present a Covid app.

People in the England will also no longer be forced to work from home but many businesses are expected to be slow about re-opening their offices and may expect employees to wear masks.

People will still have to self-isolate if they show any symptoms of Covid, if they test positive or live with someone who has tested positive. If you test positive, you must self-isolate for 10 days.

Do note, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland still have some rules of their own.

Thank you for reading, and don’t forget to check The Euro Weekly News for all your up-to-date local and international news stories.