This post includes a rolling update of new legislation and guidance on coronavirus COVID-19 during the week commencing 18 July 2021 *.

Sunday 18 July to Saturday 24 July

Legislation

England

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/864. These Regulations correct an error in the commencement provisions of the Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (Self-Isolation) (England) (Amendment) Regulations 2021. The effect is to ensure that the amendment made by regulation 2(2)(a) of those Regulations (which provides that the exemption from the duty to self-isolate for the purpose of posting Coronavirus tests is extended to include tests for antibodies) comes into force on 19th July 2021.
• The Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Operator Liability) (England) (Amendment) (No. 6) Regulations 2021, SI 2021/855. These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus, International Travel and Operator Liability) (England) Regulations 2021 (“the principal Regulations”). Regulation 4 makes amendments to the principal Regulations to introduce a new category of “eligible category 2 arrival”. A person who is in this category is exempt from the requirement to self-isolate that would otherwise apply. (Category 2 countries are specified in Schedule 2 to the principal Regulations). In order to benefit from the exemption, the person in question must have proof of their exemption status and must make the appropriate declaration on their Passenger Locator Form. (The Passenger Locator Form contains information about persons arriving in England and must be completed and produced if so required by the principal Regulations.)

Scotland

• The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel etc.) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) (No. 6) Regulations 2021, SSI 2021/265. These Regulations amend the Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. They exclude passengers who have departed from, or transited through mainland France (including Corsica), from status as “eligible vaccinated arrivals” within the meaning of regulation 2A of those Regulations, who would have been exempt from certain requirements imposed by the Regulations. They also remove the duty on an operator of a relevant service which commences in France to check that such a passenger possesses the required evidence.

Summary

• Adam Wagner: Table of COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Updated 18 July 2021.

Guidance

• Risk management template for event organisers. A resource to help event organisers to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission in event settings. (14 July 2021).
• Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19): guidance from Step 4, Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy and Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, (14 July 2021).
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Wedding and civil partnership ceremonies, receptions and celebrations: guidance from Step 4. Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, Cabinet Office, and Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, (14 July 2021). New guidance for couples planning to get married or form a civil partnership in England, and venues hosting these events. 
• Working safely during coronavirus (COVID-19): Performing Arts, last updated, 14 July 2021.
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Wedding and civil partnership ceremonies, receptions and celebrations. Guidance for couples planning to get married or form a civil partnership in England, and venues hosting these events. Cabinet Office, Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government, and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy. (19 July 2021).
• COVID-19: arranging or attending a funeral or commemorative event. Guidance for arranging or attending a funeral or commemorative event during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Public Health England and Department of Health and Social Care, (19 July 2021).
• Prime Minister urges caution as England moves to Step 4. England has moved to Step 4 of the Roadmap. Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, (19 July 2021).

Recently revised guidance. 

• COVID-19: suggested principles of safer singing, PHE, (20 November 2020). Withdrawn on 19 July 2021 and replaced with Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread Find out how to stay safe and help prevent the spread of coronavirus, Cabinet Office. (19 July 2021).
• COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship, MHCLG, (16 June 2021). Withdrawn on 19 July 2021 and replaced with COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship, Revised guidance following the Prime Minister’s announcement that Step 4 on the roadmap to recovery would be taken on 19 July. MHCLG. (19 July 2021).
• Celebrating religious festivals during coronavirus, MHCLG, (16 June 2021). Withdrawn on 19 July 2021 and replaced with COVID-19: guidance for the safe use of places of worship, supra. MHCLG. (19 July 2021).
• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Organised events guidance for local authorities, last updated 14 July 2021.
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Church of England‡

The latest revision and streamline of the Church of England guidance documents is summarized in our 20 July post Church of England Guidance – Step 4, essential reading for incumbents/churchwardens and area deans.

Updated: Thursday 22 July, 16.35

• New Q&A added “What is the Church of England’s position on ‘vaccine passports’?”  Quoting from the conclusion to its submission to the Government’s consultation on vaccine certification (6pp), it states [emphasis in original submission]:”While the Church is, in principle, opposed to making use of ‘vaccine passports’, it should adopt a flexible approach to their limited wider use with the important caveats that such use ought to be demonstrably beneficial to society as a whole, protective of the vulnerable in particular, non-discriminatory in nature and proportionate in use.”

Church in Wales

• Coronavirus (Covid-19) guidance. Update: 21 July 2021. Alert Level 1 (21 July 2021).

Law and Religion UK

• Law and religion round-up – 18 July. Lifting COVID-19 restrictions in Scotland and Wales; Step 4 guidance for England (and even legislation!).
• Church of England Guidance – Step 4. (20 July 2021).
• COVID-19: Church in Wales – updated guidance, Level 1, (21 July 2021).

Post last updated, 23 July 2021 at 13:17.

* Information on COVID-19 on L&RUK

These updates are published at the start of each week; they are not reissued, but new items are added throughout the week as they become available, providing a “rolling update” of the latest developments during the current week. They are also added to COVID-19 Coronavirus: legislation and guidance which is  the main source of  information, and listed with the newest items last (unlike the CofE documents, infra); items in the weekly updates yet to be added are marked “§“.  The updates for the earlier weeks are here.

‡ Church of England documents

Church of England documents are listed under their full title and issue number, in the same order as they appear on the Church’s web site.

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