THE Government is looking into ways to allow people living in Tier 3 areas to go to the pub, football ground or theatre, an official document has revealed.

In the Government's 'Community testing: a guide for local delivery' document, published yesterday, it revealed the Government is looking at ways to give people living under the strictest restrictions to get "early benefits from community testing".

Plans being looked at include allowing people living in Tier 3 areas to temporarily move to Tier 2 restrictions if they get two negative tests.

This would allow people to visit restaurants, pubs, football grounds and other live elite sport, indoor entertainment venues and to meet family and friends in groups of six outdoors.

In the document, it says: "The availability of Lateral Flow Device testing technology gives us opportunities that we didn’t have before, but they are not a panacea.

"They can help detect more cases and if more people isolate as a consequence, they can help reduce risk. What they can’t do is eliminate risk.

"We know local communities are looking for ways to get back to normal, including being able to do things they love and re-opening parts of their economy.

"The surest way to that is to come together to take the action needed to get out of Tier 3 - to get tested, isolate, break the chains of transmission and reduce prevalence.

"But we know that some places would also like to trial and test opportunities to get some earlier benefits from involvement in community testing.

"We are keen to explore ways we could potentially relax restrictions on a limited basis for those that test negative, but there will, rightly, be limits to what can be responsibly done.

"Therefore, this needs to be considered very carefully. Should local areas want to use community testing as a route to providing a relaxation of restrictions that would otherwise not be available in Tier 3, these proposals will need to have an assessment of impact and risks and be agreed with local Directors of Public Health, national public health advisors and the Secretary of State.

"Although we will need to look at each proposal on its own merits, a national regulatory framework will be required to support such activities. Work is underway to rapidly assess options in this space, including the potential to allow the relaxation of Tier 3 restrictions down to those normally at Tier 2 for a time limited period for those who have two negative test results.

"For example, the ability to meet friends and family in groups of 6 outdoors, the
ability to visit venues (such as hospitality venues, indoor entertainment, accommodation) which are otherwise closed at Tier 3, and/or the ability to attend large events (such as elite sport, live performances).

"As local areas develop their plans for community testing, we are very interested in discussing with them the full range of their ambitions in this space and will provide all necessary support to determine what would be a safe, responsible and workable approach within any future regulatory framework.

"This will include support to consider questions such as communication, certification, enforcement and legality as well as likely community
responses."