The government announced on Wednesday that England will move to ‘Plan B’ in response to the risks of the Omicron COVID variant.

For those living in England, this means:

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• From 10 December, face coverings will be required by law in most indoor settings.

• From 13 December, office workers who can work from home should do so.

• From 15 December, certain venues and events will be required by law to check that all visitors aged 18 years or over are fully vaccinated, have proof of a negative test in the last 48 hours, or have an exemption.
   

Apart from the legal requirements outlined in Plan B, these new restrictions shouldn’t have any major impact on activity within the equestrian industry. In support of Plan B and helping to mitigate the risk of transmission of the virus, British Equestrian recommends:

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• Keeping yourself and others safe through mask-wearing indoors where indicated, and following hygiene measures including hand-washing and sanitisation.

• Having an awareness of COVID symptoms, self-isolating if required, and conducting regular testing with free lateral flow tests, available via the NHS, your local pharmacy or test collection points.

• Take-up of COVID vaccination and boosters when invited

• Checking with venues for any COVID pass requirements/restrictions they may have in place before attending, and complying with these during your visit.
   

Plan B information for England - Coronavirus: how to stay safe and help prevent the spread - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

For Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, there are no recent changes in requirements, please see below for current guidance:

Wales: - https://gov.wales/coronavirus

Scotland: - www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19

Northern Ireland: - www.nidirect.gov.uk/campaigns/coronavirus-covid-19

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