When am I allowed to go outside during the coronavirus lockdown?

Follow our live coronavirus updates HERE Coronavirus: The symptoms
People are only allowed to exercise once a day under Government measures to curb the coronavirus outbreak
Jeremy Selwyn
Imogen Braddick9 April 2020

As Britons grow used to spending more time at home to curb the spread of coronavirus, many have been left asking “In what circumstances can I go outside?”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has ordered the public to "stay at home" and told all non-essential shops and businesses to close in a bid to stem the outbreak.

There are just a few essential reasons why people are allowed to leave their homes - travelling to work if necessary, shopping for food and medicine, and exercising once a day locally.

Here, we answer some key questions about what you can and can't do during the lockdown.

The Government has banned gatherings of more than two people
Getty Images

Can I go outside during the coronavirus lockdown?

The short answer is yes.

But people should be leaving their homes and going outside to shop for essential items such as food and medicine, travel to and from work if "absolutely necessary", help vulnerable people or those in need, and to exercise once a day.

If you are lucky enough to have a garden, there is no advice to stop using it and there is no risk to your health from being outside in a private space.

Tending to an allotment is also allowed, as long as social distancing is maintained and it is counted as your one form of exercise, Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove said.

“I think it is perfectly sensible for people to go to an allotment,” he told BBC Breakfast.

“It is in the very nature of an allotment that there is a safe distance between people working on individual allotments.”

Customers social distancing in the queue outside Morrisons supermarket in Whitley Bay
PA

If you are one of the 1.5 million people in the UK considered vulnerable and asked to self-isolate for 12 weeks, you should "get out into any private space", such as your own garden.

Government guidance states you should keep at least two metres away from neighbours or other household members while doing so, including if you are sitting on your doorstep.

For those in the vulnerable group who do not have their own private space, the Government advises spending time with the windows open to let in fresh air, or arranging a space to sit and get some natural sunlight.

Before and during Coronavirus lockdown - In pictures

1/33

What has the Government said about exercising outdoors?

Exercise must be done alone or with members of your household. Gatherings of more than two people are banned, so you are not allowed to meet up with anyone who does not live with you to do your daily exercising.

People are allowed to run, walk or cycle, and some parks will remain open for people who want to use them for exercise - the decision to open or close a park is down to each local authority.

Nothing in the official guidance states that people cannot drive somewhere for exercise, but you are advised not to. The Government has banned all non-essential travel and asked people to exercise locally.

Although official advice does not state the length of time you can exercise, it says people “should be minimising time spent outside of the home” while keeping at least two metres apart from anyone you do not live with.

There are lots of fitness coaches live streaming workouts for people to do at home too, to help people stay fit at home.

What if I have a dog?

You are allowed to walk your dog once a day as part of your one form of exercise. If there is more one person in the household, and your dog requires more than one walk, you can split the dog walking duties.

But while you are out, you must keep two metres apart from anyone who is not in your household.

To ensure social distancing is adhered to, Michael Gove said walking other people's dogs should be avoided.

Can I go to the supermarket?

Yes - you are allowed to leave your home to shop for basic necessities, such as essential food and medicine.

But Government advice says shopping must be as infrequent as possible, and the public should use food delivery services “where you can”.

Boris Johnson has not said how many times a day people are allowed to go to the supermarket, or how many shops they could go to, but he said people should be shopping “as little as you can”.

Shopper queue to enter an Asda supermarket in London
Getty Images

Despite a ban on social gatherings of more than two people, there are exceptions and this includes going to the supermarket with people you live with.

Listen to The Leader: Coronavirus Daily podcast

There are two exceptions: when the gathering is essential for work purposes, or when the gathering is “of a group of people who live together”, according to Government advice.

For example, a parent can take their children to the shops with them, if they cannot be left at home.

Create a FREE account to continue reading

eros

Registration is a free and easy way to support our journalism.

Join our community where you can: comment on stories; sign up to newsletters; enter competitions and access content on our app.

Your email address

Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number

You must be at least 18 years old to create an account

* Required fields

Already have an account? SIGN IN

By clicking Create Account you confirm that your data has been entered correctly and you have read and agree to our Terms of use , Cookie policy and Privacy policy .

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in