This is a weekly update on the legislation and guidance on coronavirus COVID-19 up to Saturday 24 October; it is intended as a quick reference to the latest developments. New items will be added throughout each week as they become available, and included in COVID-19 Coronavirus: legislation and guidance which is now the main source of information§. The updates for earlier weeks are here.

Sunday 18 October 2020 to Saturday 24 October 2020

Law and Religion UK

• Coronavirus circuit break: Wales, 21 October.
• L&RUK: Catch-up from 23 September, 21 October.

Church of England

Last updated Monday 19 October at 14:21

• COVID-19 Advice for clergy conducting weddings, v5.5, 16 October 2020. Government introduced new legislation on 14 October relating to permitted activities under the 3 Tier COVID alert system. This has introduced a legal limit for those who gather for a wedding of 15 persons. On 15 October Government guidance was published that stated “anyone working is not included as part of the limit on those attending”. The guidance also states “It is strongly advised that only essential aspects of the ceremonies take place at this time”. We currently understand that working means those whose presence is reasonably necessary for the event to take place and Question 1 has been changed.
• Coronavirus (COVID-19) Advice on Ordinations and Consecrations, v 4.3, 16 October 2020. On 28 September the Government introduced new legislation which means Ordinations are the same as public worship in determining the attendance limit. In addition, as of the 14 October the Government has introduced a three tier system of COVID risk areas, where different restrictions apply. Points 3 and 4 have been updated to reflect these points.
• COVID-19 Advice on Conducting Public Worship, v 2.6, 16 October 2020. As of the 14th October the Government has introduced a three tier system of COVID risk areas. In all tiers Places of Worship can remain open and public worship can continue. However, in tiers 2 and 3 (high and very high risk areas) the ‘rule of six’ does not apply. In these areas individuals, households and support bubbles can attend worship but must not mingle with others and physical distancing should be maintained. The salient points and section 5 have been updated to account for this.
• COVID-19 Advice on Conducting Funerals, v5.4, 16 October 2020. Government has introduced new legislation that permits people who are symptomatic or who have tested positive for COVID-19 to attend funerals. However, they are strongly advised not to because of the risk they pose to others. Question 4 has been updated in this respect. It ought to also be noted that practice and behaviour at a funeral should be as if there were someone present with the virus in any case.
• COVID-19 Advice for the Conduct of a Confirmation Service, v 4.3, 16 October 2020. On 28 September the Government introduced new legislation which means confirmations are the same as public worship in determining the attendance limit. In addition, as of the 14th October the Government has introduced a three tier system of COVID risk areas, where different restrictions apply. Section 2 has been updated.
• COVID-19 Advice for Clergy Conducting Baptisms v4.4, 16 October. On 28 September the Government introduced new legislation which means baptisms, both as part of public worship and free standing, can go ahead assessing the attendance limit as with normal public worship. In addition, as of 14 October the Government has introduced a three tier system of COVID risk areas, where different restrictions apply. Section 2 has been updated to reflect these changes.

Legislation

England

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (Medium, High and Very High) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2020, SI 2020/1154. These Regulations subject a number of areas to the restrictions set out in the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (Very High) (England) Regulations 2020 (the “Very High Regulations”), and make corresponding amendments to remove those areas from the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (High) (England) Regulations 2020 (the “High” Regulations”), subject a number of areas to the restrictions set out in the High Regulations and impose closures on additional businesses in the areas concerned. They also make minor amendments to the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Local COVID-19 Alert Level) (Medium) (England) Regulations 2020, the High Regulations and the Very High Regulations.

Wales

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 2) (Wales) Regulations 2020, as amended, 16 October 2020.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 3) (Wales) Regulations 2020, WSI 2020/1149 (W,261). Coming into force at 6.00 p.m. on 23 October 2020. Legislation on the Coronavirus circuit break: Wales.

Scotland

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Additional Temporary Measures) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Regulations 2020, SSI 2020/329. Regulation 2 amends the principal regulations to provide that they no longer expire at 6 a.m. on 26 October 2020 and instead expire at 6 a.m. on 2 November 2020.

Guidance

England

Wales

• Coronavirus legislation and guidance on the law, The main (“principal”) Regulations are the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No 2) (Wales) Regulations 2020, 16 October 2020. Part 2A of the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984, as amended by the Health and Social Care Act 2008 enables the Welsh Ministers, by regulations, to make law for the purpose of preventing, protecting against, controlling or providing a public health response to the incidence or spread of infection or contamination in Wales. This includes the power to impose “restrictions or requirements on or in relation to persons, things or premises in the event of, or in response to, a threat to public health.”
• Coronavirus regulations: frequently asked questions, 19 October 2020. What you and businesses can and cannot do during the outbreak and what happens if you break these new laws.
• Closure of businesses and premises: coronavirus (COVID 19), 23 October 2020.
• Guidance for Places of Worship, 23 October 2020.

Other Guidance

• CCCBR: England – Tier 2 and Tier 3 restrictions.
• RSCM: COVID-19: Guidance for Safely Resuming Group Music-making in Church, UPDATE: 21st October 2020.

Post last updated, 22October at 13:58.