This is a weekly update on the legislation and guidance on coronavirus COVID-19 up to 8 August; it is intended as a quick reference to the latest developments, and new items will be added throughout each week at the same time as they are included COVID-19 Coronavirus: legislation and guidance (II) which has links to other weekly updates.

Sunday 2 August to Saturday 8 August

UPDATE – FACE COVERINGS

In anticipation of the introduction of legislation relating to the use of face coverings in England, the Church of England has issued the following interim update. Although the new legislation and explanatory memorandum have now been added to this post and to our Coronavirus updates – index, the final version of the Church’s guidance is dependent upon an update of the MHCLG document COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship during the pandemic, which was last updated on 4 August.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance for churches

Last updated Friday 7 August at 10:21:

The following advice documents, together with relevant FAQs have been updated.

Please note that this advice is currently issued in draft form, awaiting confirmation of the exact wording of government guidance for places of worship on the use of face coverings. It will be issued in final form only after this guidance is issued.

• Updated Face coverings document
• Updated Baptisms document
• Updated Weddings document
• Updated Funerals document
• Updated Holy Communion document
• Updated Confirmation services document
• Updated Ordinations and Consecrations document
• Updated Conducting public worship document
• Updated Individual private prayer document
• Updated Opening cathedral and church buildings to the public document
• Updated Test and Trace document
• Updated Risk assessment template for reopening church buildings document

Law and Religion UK

• Face covering during weddings and other services Interim guidance from the Church of England.
• COVID-19: further (separate) guidance for England and for Wales,
• Law and religion round-up – 2nd August, local lockdowns on several areas of Lancashire and parts of West Yorkshire, including Blackburn and Bradford.

Legislation

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020, SR 2020.164. These amend earlier Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 which require members of the public to wear face coverings whilst inside a relevant place
• SI 2020/752 – Correction Slip 1, English version of The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, WSI 2020/752 (W. 169).
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Leicester) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 SI 2020/824. Made, 2nd August 2020; Coming into force, 3rd August 2020; laid at 11.00 a.m. on 3rd August 2020. Regulation 2 revokes aspects of the earlier four Regulations specific to Leicester, including the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Leicester) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 SI 2020/823
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2020 SI 2020/820 (W. 180), these amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2020, permit certain businesses to open and relaxing other provisions. 
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions on Gatherings) (North of England) Regulations 2020, Made, 9.00 a.m., 4th August 2020; Laid before Parliament at 12.30 p.m., 4th August 2020; and coming into force,  5th August 2020. An Explanatory Memorandum has also been published.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 SR 164, come into operation on such day as the Department of Health may by order appoint. These amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 in order to require members of the public to wear face coverings whilst inside a relevant place, except in certain limited cases.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Aberdeen City) Regulations 2020 SSI 2020/234. Made, 1.55 p.m. on 5th August 2020; Laid before the Scottish Parliament at 4.00 p.m. on 5th August 2020; and Coming into force at 5.00 p.m. on 5th August 2020.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Wearing of Face Coverings in a Relevant Place) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/839, and Explanatory Memorandum. The Regulations were: made, 6th August; laid before Parliament, 7th August; and come into force, 8th August. 
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions on Gatherings) (North of England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020 SI 2020/846, come into force, 8th August. Also Explanatory Memorandum.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) (Amendment) (No. 4) Regulations 2020, WSI 834 (W186), comes into force 10 August. 
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2020 SR 2020/170. Various starting dates.

Guidance

• North of England: local restrictions, DHSC, (updated 7 August)
• Face coverings: when to wear one and how to make your own, (updated 7 August).
• North of England: local restrictions, DHSC, (updated 6 August).
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): local advice and measures, Scottish Government, 5 August. Aberdeen closures.
• COVID-19: guidance for managing a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic, (updated 5 August).
• Closing certain businesses and venues in Leicester, MHCLG, (3 August), guidance on The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Leicester) (No. 2) Regulations 2020 SI 2020/824, supra. 
• COVID-19: Guidance for small marriages and civil partnerships, MHCLG, (updated 4 August).
• COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship during the pandemic, MHCLG, (updated 4 August).
• COVID-19: guidance for managing a funeral during the coronavirus pandemic, MHCLG (updated 4 August)
• Registering a Birth: Guidance issued by the Registrar General for Scotland, Guidance issued by the Registrar General for Scotland on Phase 2 of the Route map through and out of the COVID-19 crisis staggered re-introduction of registration of births in Scotland (undated). 
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2020, as amended with the changes illustrated, Prepared by Office of the Legislative Counsel in the Welsh Government, for illustrative purposes only . 

Church of England – Advice and guidance

• Updated FAQ Who needs to wear a face covering during services? in Prayer and Worship section
• Updated FAQ Who needs to wear a face covering during weddings? in Life Events section

These updates reflect the Church’s understanding of guidance currently being prepared by government; we are grateful to have been part of that process.  Its detailed guidance documents will be once the government has published the revised regulations and guidance.