England

While Covid-19 continues to impact severely on our lives and sadly continues to threaten and end lives, there may be safer days ahead and the safety of staff, members and others remains our top priority.

Now that legal regulations are set to be lifted in England and other countries may well follow soon, there is a shift towards giving advice and the onus being upon individual responsibility to reduce transmission of the virus. Since the situation may well be fluid for some time to come, our existing guidance remains in place as follows.

Field meetings have resumed, but remain subject to Government guidance specific to England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. In addition we recommend continuing with social distancing at all events and wearing face-masks when indoors. We hope to be able to resume indoor events in the coming months. You must check the latest details of any advertised meeting online or by contacting the meeting leader. Do not assume that a meeting can go ahead without checking. Arrangements for meetings outdoors and indoors may vary; indoor meetings may have to be replaced by electronic meetings. Guidance documents for both participants and for leaders of field meetings have been revised to take account of ongoing Covid-19 prevention measures, and all guidance must be followed at all times. In the meantime, if you choose to go out you must follow all current Government guidance for the locality, including social distancing and other Covid-19 prevention measures, as well as more general safe practices if fieldwork is permitted. BSBI Trustees continue to closely monitor the situation and reserve the right to change advice at short notice if necessary. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with our Hon Gen Sec Steve Gater.