Yahoo Finance ‘Check the website’: Boris Johnson tells single dad he might have to stop seeing his son
A single dad who asked Boris Johnson if he could see his son was told by the prime minister: “Check the website”.
The man, “Christopher from Margate”, asked what the guidance is for single parents who have regular contact with their children who live in a different county.
He explained how he lives in Kent, which is in Tier 1, while his son lives in Essex, which will move into Tier 2 on Saturday.
Christopher asked Johnson what he should do when one area is at a higher alert level under the government’s new three-tier local lockdown system, which was announced by Johnson on Monday.
Johnson, who was speaking at a Downing Street press conference, told him: “Christopher, I think the guidance, alas, is that if… you should go on the website, obviously, and check.
“But when places go into a higher tier from the basic medium [which is Tier 1] then there are restrictions on household contact, alas.
“So depending on how you define your household, you may find there are restrictions.
“But you really need to go on the website to see where and what’s going on in Kent and Essex in order to be absolutely sure.”
Watch: All you need to know about Boris Johnson’s COVID briefing
Government rules suggest Christopher will be able to see his son.
The guidance for Tier 2 (“high”) areas states: “If you live in a high alert level area you also cannot meet indoors with people outside of the area, unless exceptions apply.”
However, it adds: “There are exceptions where people from different households can gather beyond the limits set out.”
One of these exceptions is “for arrangements where children do not live in the same household as both their parents or guardians”.
Read more: Up to 74,000 people getting infected every day in England
Furthermore, government guidance appears not to prevent people travelling from Tier 1 to Tier 2 areas.
Tier 1 (“medium”) rules read: “You should also avoid travelling to any part of the country subject to very high [Tier 3] local COVID alert levels.”
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