With certain government restrictions relaxed from last weekend (Saturday 4 July), including being able to meet in groups of up to two households in any location – public or private, indoors or outdoors – it remains the case that even inside someone’s home you should continue to keep a safe distance from anyone not in your household or bubble.

The two metre rule being relaxed to a ‘1 metre plus’ approach depends on the setting, and means people are being trusted to continue acting responsibly by following this and the related guidance to care for themselves and each other.

The more people we interact with, the more chance the virus has to spread. Therefore, everyone should still try to limit the number of people they see and get close to. The risk of transmission is also higher indoors, so people should take extra care including wearing a face covering on public transport and in enclosed spaces where you can’t stay two metres apart.

The Keep Caring campaign led by Cambridgeshire County Council and Peterborough City Council, and supported by Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, Cambridgeshire Constabulary, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service, East of England Ambulance Service, the local NHS, community organisations and local district councils, outlines ways that people can take care of themselves and each other – for instance highlighting that:

• Caring is keeping your distance – inside or outside
• Caring is being responsible – staying isolated if you think you’ve got symptoms, or been close to someone who has
• Caring is covering your face – even with no symptoms you might still spread virus
• Caring is washing your hands – regularly, when you enter or leave a new place

It also points out that:

• Caring is staying and buying local – to support local businesses and jobs
• Caring is being considerate – rubbish destroys our countryside, and puts those who clear it up at risk

Dr Liz Robin, Director of Public Health for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough said: “It is the public who have reduced the transmission of coronavirus so far. By taking care of themselves and each other, fatalities and infection rates in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough have continued to fall.

“But our message today is that this caring can’t stop now, as the most important thing we can continue to do is to stay alert, control the virus, and, in doing so, save more lives.

“The government updated its plan for social distancing from 4 July, but the message remains strong that to continue to reduce the transmission of the virus, we should continue good hygiene rules, washing our hands and surfaces often, remain physically distant from people outside of our household, and keep your mouth and nose covered where you can’t be sure of staying apart.”

Cllr Chris Boden, Leader of Fenland District Council, added: “As lockdown continues to ease and new guidance from the Government comes into effect, it’s important to remember that coronavirus hasn’t gone away.

“It is essential that we keep caring – for each other, for our communities, for our economy and for our environment – so that we can stop coronavirus from claiming more lives and help Cambridgeshire to recover as quickly as possible.”

Comprehensive advice on current government rules is available on the gov.uk website.