What are ‘step 2’ Covid lockdown rules?

Reports suggest government could bring back restrictions outlined in England’s lockdown roadmap earlier this year

Boris Johnson has delayed a decision on bringing in new Covid restrictions to slow the spread of omicron but said the government "reserve the right" to implement fresh curbs at a later date.

The prime minister said the data on the more transmissible strain did not justify a lockdown as he defied warnings from experts to act immediately to prevent the NHS from becoming overwhelmed.

But reports suggest ministers are considering a return to 'step 2' restrictions, outlined in England's 'roadmap' out of lockdown earlier this year, as early as next week.

The step 2 restrictions, as implemented in April, were:

• All social interactions (including at each of the places listed below) restricted to households or support bubbles

• Non-essential retail, personal care premises such as hairdressers and nail salons, public buildings, including libraries and community centres, allowed to stay open

• Indoor leisure facilities such as gyms also stay open as will most outdoor attractions and settings including outdoor hospitality venues, zoos, theme parks, and drive-in cinemas.

• Self-contained accommodation such as campsites and holiday lets, where indoor facilities are not shared with other households, can also reopen.

• Pubs and restaurants allowed to stay open but must serve people outdoors and there will be no need for customers to order a substantial meal with alcoholic drinks and no curfew, although customers must order, eat and drink while seated (‘table service’).

• Funerals can continue with up to 30 mourners, the number of people able to attend weddings, receptions and commemorative events such as wakes will rise to 15.

In an interview with broadcasters on Monday, Mr Johnson said the data on Covid was being reviewed "hour by hour" and there were still "some things that we need to be clearer about before we decide to go further".

He also urged people to come forward to get their booster vaccines. A further 91,743 Covid cases were reported across the UK on Monday, the second-highest daily total on record.

Scientists warned that “dither” in imposing curbs on social gatherings and travel ahead of the Christmas weekend will allow the highly contagious omicron variant to spread more fiercely, with one member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), Professor Andrew Hayward, warning of “tens of millions” of infections this winter.

Although Mr Johnson stopped short of imposing new official restrictions, with reports say he won't do so before Christmas day, the prime minister said the government wants people to focus on "exercising caution".

It came as The Queen has decided to spend Christmas in Windsor rather than to travel to Sandringham in what one royal source said was a precautionary approach.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan later announced the cancellation of the capital's New Year's Eve celebration in Trafalgar Square "in the interests of public safety".

Meanwhile, the Welsh government has said sporting events will be played behind closed doors from Boxing Day to help control the spread of the new Omicron variant.

Labour, which has said it would support the government over any further public health measures that were needed, accused the Prime Minister of putting party interests before the country.

Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said MrJohnson was failing to set out a "clear plan", saying the prime minister is instead choosing to "protect himself from his own MPs by simply not saying anything".

Esther McVey, Conservative MP for Tatton and a former minister, tweeted to say the government "are now listening to their backbench MPs and for once pushed back on the scaremongering by the lockdown fanatics".