Coronavirus: How can family and friends visit my home safely?

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With social distancing guidance in England changing to "one metre plus" from 4 July, how can you invite friends and family into your home safely?

Rules are different in each of the four UK nations.

So who will I be able to have in my own home?

Member of two households of any size can meet each other - either inside or outside - from Saturday 4 July in England.

You can meet different households at different times - and overnight stays are allowed - but no more than two households should meet at any one time.

Social distancing between people not in your household will still have to be observed - ideally at 2m (6ft), but at 1m if that's not possible.

Many people won't have seen family or friends for weeks but Prof Alison Sinclair, from the University of Sussex, offers words of caution.

"The hardest but most important thing to do is to postpone the visit if anyone in either household has any Covid-19 symptoms."

What about the rest of the UK?

In Scotland, three households will be able to meet indoors from 10 July - while socially distancing. They can already meet outside. The five-mile travel limit in Scotland is expected to be lifted from 3 July.

In Northern Ireland , social distancing rules will change from 2m to 1m on Monday 29 June. Groups of up to six people not in the same household can now meet indoors while social distancing. Up to 10 people can meet outside .

In Wales, any number of people from two different households can now meet outdoors observing social distancing - but meetings indoors are still not allowed . Families should aim to travel no more than five miles to meet.

How will I make 'one metre plus' work at home?

"If you can, you should meet and chat outside - even if you have to eat inside," says Prof Keith Neal, from the University of Nottingham.

But if you do have to gather in your living room remember the "plus" part of the new one metre guidelines .

• Sit or stand side-by-side, rather than face-to-face
• Keep windows and doors open to improve ventilation
• Wear a face covering in crowded indoor environments
• Avoid talking loudly
• Don't sing

"Remember our breath travels further when there is more force to it - like when you cough, shout or sing," says Prof Sinclair.

"Rearranging the seating in your room to maximise the distance between guests can also help reduce virus spread by respiratory droplets in the air."

Prof Sally Bloomfield, from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, says people shouldn't become complacent.

"Don't be tempted to think 'It won't happen to me - I won't bother'' Remember anyone can be infected and infectious, but not be showing any symptoms.

"So think of it like buckling up your car seat belt - just do it anyway."

What about touching surfaces?

Everyone should regularly wash their hands using soap and water - or hand sanitiser.

When you meet up, avoid touching surfaces or your face.

If you are the host, you should clean surfaces both before and after the meeting "wearing a pair of washing-up gloves", says Prof Sinclair. "That should remove any respiratory droplets."

Put a cloth and bleach spray in the toilet as well.

"Ask people to wash their hands, then disinfect any tap, loo seat or toilet handles they have touched," advises Prof Bloomfield. "As the host you should disinfect any 'frequent touch' surfaces after your guests leave."

She also says people should be inventive when it comes to family games - and avoid those with close contact, such as football and paddling pools.

• The government's social distancing advice for 4 July

What about eating together?

If you have to eat inside, the main risk will be aerosol/droplet transmission at the table during conversation - so remember to keep windows and doors open to increase ventilation.

Three of the four experts we have spoken to, say there's no need for guests to bring their own crockery and cutlery - but advise that everything should all be put in a dishwasher or a bowl of hot soapy water (and then rinsed in cold water) immediately after use.

But our fourth expert, Dr Julian Tang, from the University of Leicester, says to reduce transmission risk guests could be asked to bring their own plates, knives and forks - which they would then take home to wash.

"They could also bring their own salt and pepper, plus ketchup and vinegar, in their own containers," he adds.

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The experts we have spoken to offer the following advice:

• Wash your hands before and after preparing food, eating food and washing up
• Put food straight on to plates and don't use large serving bowls which need to be handed round
• Avoid serving a lot of cold food which needs "handling" before and during a meal, like salads
• Use detergent or soapy water to regularly wipe down areas of the table and chairs where people will have put hands, fingers and elbows - then wash the cloth

What is a support bubble?

In England , Scotland and Northern Ireland , single adults living alone - or single parents with children under 18 - can form an "exclusive" support bubble with one other household . They can visit each other's homes and not observe social distancing.

Wales is expected to make a decision on social bubbles in the next few weeks.

Who has to still stay at home?

People with certain underlying health conditions, or who are pregnant or aged over 70, are deemed to be clinically vulnerable . If you are in this category, you are advised to stay at home as much as possible.

Another group, of about 2.5 million people, is categorised as clinically extremely vulnerable . This group had been strongly advised to stay at home at all times and avoid face-to-face contact - so called "shielding" .

"Shielders" in England can now go outside for daily exercise and, from 6 July, will also be to meet up to five other people outdoors while social distancing. They will also be allowed to form a support bubble . It is hoped that from 1 August they will be able to stop shielding. The guidance in Northern Ireland is similar.

In Wales , those shielding can now exercise close to home . There are similar rules in Scotland .

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What if I have symptoms?

If you show symptoms of coronavirus - such as a dry cough, high temperature or loss of taste - you must take extra precautions.

You should self-isolate - stay at home and not leave it for any reason. Ask others to drop off food and medicines.

• What if NHS coronavirus tracers contact me?

If England's NHS Test and Trace team contact you because you've been close to someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, you must self-isolate for up to 14 days - even if you feel fine.

The people you live with don't have to self-isolate, but must take extra care regarding social distancing and hand washing.

There are similar tracing systems in Scotland , Wales and Northern Ireland .

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CoronaVirus translator

What do all these terms mean?

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• Antibodies test

  A medical test that can show if a person has had the coronavirus and now has some immunity. The test detects antibodies in the blood, which are produced by the body to fight off the disease.

• Asymptomatic

  Someone who has a disease but does not have any of the symptoms it causes. Some studies suggest some people with coronavirus carry the disease but don't show the common symptoms, such as a persistent cough or high temperature.

• Containment phase

  The first part of the UK's strategy to deal with the coronavirus, which involved trying to identify infected people early and trace anyone who had been in close contact with them.

• Coronavirus

  One of a group of viruses that can cause severe or mild illness in humans and animals. The coronavirus currently sweeping the world causes the disease Covid-19. The common cold and influenza (flu) are other types of coronaviruses.

• Covid-19

  The disease caused by the coronavirus first detected in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. It primarily affects the lungs.

• Delay phase

  The second part of the UK's strategy to deal with the coronavirus, in which measures such as social distancing are used to delay its spread.

• Fixed penalty notice

  A fine designed to deal with an offence on the spot, instead of in court. These are often for driving offences, but now also cover anti-social behaviour and breaches of the coronavirus lockdown.

• Flatten the curve

  Health experts use a line on a chart to show numbers of new coronavirus cases. If a lot of people get the virus in a short period of time, the line might rise sharply and look a bit like a mountain. However, taking measures to reduce infections can spread cases out over a longer period and means the "curve" is flatter. This makes it easier for health systems to cope.

• Flu

  Short for influenza, a virus that routinely causes disease in humans and animals, in seasonal epidemics.

• Furlough

  Supports firms hit by coronavirus by temporarily helping pay the wages of some staff. It allows employees to remain on the payroll, even though they aren't working.

• Herd immunity

  How the spread of a disease slows after a sufficiently large proportion of a population has been exposed to it.

• Immune

  A person whose body can withstand or fend off a disease is said to be immune to it. Once a person has recovered from the disease caused by the coronavirus, Covid-19, for example, it is thought they cannot catch it again for a certain period of time.

• Incubation period

  The period of time between catching a disease and starting to display symptoms.

• Intensive care

  Hospital wards which treat patients who are very ill. They are run by specially-trained healthcare staff and contain specialist equipment.

• Lockdown

  Restrictions on movement or daily life, where public buildings are closed and people told to stay at home. Lockdowns have been imposed in several countries as part of drastic efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus.

• Mitigation phase

  The third part of the UK's strategy to deal with the coronavirus, which will involve attempts to lessen the impact of a high number of cases on public services. This could mean the NHS halting all non-critical care and police responding to major crimes and emergencies only.

• NHS 111

  The NHS's 24-hour phone and online service, which offers medical advice to anyone who needs it. People in England and Wales are advised to ring the service if they are worried about their symptoms. In Scotland, they should check NHS inform, then ring their GP in office hours or 111 out of hours. In Northern Ireland, they should call their GP.

• Outbreak

  Multiple cases of a disease occurring rapidly, in a cluster or different locations.

• Pandemic

  An epidemic of serious disease spreading rapidly in many countries simultaneously.

• Phase 2

  This is when the UK will start to lift some of its lockdown rules while still trying to reduce the spread of coronavirus.

• PPE

  PPE, or personal protective equipment, is clothing and kit such as masks, aprons, gloves and goggles used by medical staff, care workers and others to protect themselves against infection from coronavirus patients and other people who might be carrying the disease.

• Quarantine

  The isolation of people exposed to a contagious disease to prevent its spread.

• R0

  R0, pronounced "R-naught", is the average number of people who will catch the disease from a single infected person. If the R0 of coronavirus in a particular population is 2, then on average each case will create two more new cases. The value therefore gives an indication of how much the infection could spread.

• Recession

  This happens when there is a significant drop in income, jobs and sales in a country for two consecutive three-month periods.

• Sars

  Severe acute respiratory syndrome, a type of coronavirus that emerged in Asia in 2003.

• Self-isolation

  Staying inside and avoiding all contact with other people, with the aim of preventing the spread of a disease.

• Social distancing

  Keeping away from other people, with the aim of slowing down transmission of a disease. The government advises not seeing friends or relatives other than those you live with, working from home where possible and avoiding public transport.

• State of emergency

  Measures taken by a government to restrict daily life while it deals with a crisis. This can involve closing schools and workplaces, restricting the movement of people and even deploying the armed forces to support the regular emergency services.

• Statutory instrument

  These can be used by government ministers to implement new laws or regulations, or change existing laws. They are an easier alternative to passing a full Act of Parliament.

• Symptoms

  Any sign of disease, triggered by the body's immune system as it attempts to fight off the infection. The main symptoms of the coronavirus are a fever, dry cough and shortness of breath.

• Vaccine

  A treatment that causes the body to produce antibodies, which fight off a disease, and gives immunity against further infection.

• Ventilator

  A machine that takes over breathing for the body when disease has caused the lungs to fail.

• Virus

  A tiny agent that copies itself inside the living cells of any organism. Viruses can cause these cells to die and interrupt the body's normal chemical processes, causing disease.

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