With a national lockdown set to last until at least February, and restrictions expected to be in place for much longer, we've taken a look at everything that's happened with the developing coronavirus situation over the last couple of weeks.

As we know, guidance issued by the Government is subject to change, and new measures could be put in place at the drop of a hat.

On Friday, in a Downing Street press conference, the Government's chief medical officer, Chris Whitty, said the country would not move out of a lockdown to nothing, and gradual steps would need to be taken if some kind of normality is to be reintroduced.

The Westmorland Gazette: Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity

What we currently can and cannot do

  • People can only leave their house for limited reasons, such as shopping for necessities and medicine
  • Exercise is allowed – preferably limited to once a day – with members of your household or support bubble or one other person from another household, such as if going for a walk or run, but should be taken locally.
  • People can leave home to go to work if they can't work from home.
  • Schools have moved to remote learning, except for children of key workers.
  • University students will not be allowed to return to campus and will be expected to study from their current residence.
  • Places of worship can remain open for individual prayers and communal worship, but people should only visit with their household or support bubble.
  • Non-essential shops are closed in all areas - including, hairdressers and personal care salons.
  • Restaurants and other hospitality venues can continue with delivery or takeaway only, but people will not be able to add alcohol to any orders they collect.
  • Entertainment venues such as cinemas, skating rinks and bowling alleys are also closed.
  • Those who shield should not go to work
  • Close contact care home visits are banned
  • Playgrounds will remain open, but gyms (indoor and outdoor), tennis courts, swimming pools and golf courses must close, and outdoor team sports will not be permitted.
  • The buying and selling of houses can still go ahead
  • People must not stay away overnight without a reasonable excuse. Visits to second homes are banned.

The Westmorland Gazette: Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity

Lockdown restrictions and tier systems

The lockdown is enshrined in law and police can take action if people leave home without a reasonable excuse.

The police can issue a fixed penalty notice of £200 for the first offence, doubling for further offences up to a maximum of £6,400.

Over the last few months the rules and regulations have changed that many times - first there was Tier 2, then Tier 3, then Tier 4, then lockdown - it's no wonder people are confused, especially when it comes to the debate around outdoor exercise and social distancing, and the enforcement of fines.

But with the suggestion that tougher measures could be imposed next week, what extra changes could actually be introduced?

Home Secretary Priti Patel said on Thursday that no new social distancing restrictions would be introduced this week, but hammered home that she wanted to focus on the enforcement of current lockdown measures before introducing further restrictions to our freedoms - including the dishing out of fines for those caught bending the rules when it came to exercising.

The tougher measures that ministers are reportedly considering could include the requirement to wear masks outdoors and only allowing exercise with those within one’s household or support bubble, taking away the current option of exercising with one other person outdoors.

However, people living in England are currently allowed to leave their home to exercise but it is recommended that this should be limited to once a day, and people should not travel outside their local area to do it.

You are allowed to exercise with the people you live with, with a support bubble, or with one person from another household. If the person is not your household, you must stay two metres apart, or one metre apart with a face covering.

The rules allow people to exercise in public outdoor spaces, including parks, beaches, public gardens, playgrounds and the countryside.

The Westmorland Gazette: Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity

In other areas, pubs, bars, restaurants and theatres are still closed, with no indication of when any could begin to re-open properly.

But it is hoped that with the rollout of the vaccine, Tier systems could be reintroduced once the Government ends lockdown and deems enough people to have had the jab.

The Westmorland Gazette: Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity

Vaccines, variants, passports and immunity

So far there have been three vaccines approved for use in the UK, Pfizer/BioNtech, Oxford/AstraZeneca and Moderna, and currently there are two potential nasal vaccines being developed (one in Canada and one at Lancaster University).

This all comes at a time when infection rates are rising primarily due to the new South African strain of the coronavirus, but with news of a second mutation announced on Thursday, allegedly from Brazil, concerns have also been raised over whether the current vaccines will protect against future variants.

Although there has been reassurance that vaccines are still likely to be effective as a control measure if coverage rates are high and transmission is limited as far as possible, experts say it is still too early to tell whether the current vaccines will be effective against the Brazilian and South African variants, while it is thought they will work against the UK variant.

But work is being done to assess this, and a new coronavirus jab could be manufactured within just 30 to 40 days if a variant of the virus is found to be less responsive to the vaccines available, according to Nadhim Zahawi, vaccine development minister.

The Westmorland Gazette: Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity Coronavirus - what we can do, what we can't do, lockdown, restrictions, and vaccine immunity

He told the Commons Science and Technology Committee that measures have been put in place to produce the “next iteration” of jabs if needed.

Reports also suggest that prior infection could provide immunity for up to five months, although those who have had the virus could still be able to pass it on and could still be re-infected.

Professor Susan Hopkins, senior medical adviser at PHE who led a study into reinfection and transmission, said: “This study has given us the clearest picture to date of the nature of antibody protection against Covid-19 but it is critical people do not misunderstand these early findings.

“We now know that most of those who have had the virus, and developed antibodies, are protected from reinfection, but this is not total and we do not yet know how long protection lasts.

“Crucially, we believe people may still be able to pass the virus on.

“This means, even if you believe you already had the disease and are protected, you can be reassured it is highly unlikely you will develop severe infections, but there is still a risk that you could acquire an infection and transmit to others."

The Westmorland Gazette: EMBARGOED TO 0001 SUNDAY JANUARY 10 Alex Morton, 27, from Cramlington receives her Covid-19 vaccine along with other health and social care workers at the Life Science Centre International Centre for Life in Newcastle, one of the seven mass vaccination ceEMBARGOED TO 0001 SUNDAY JANUARY 10 Alex Morton, 27, from Cramlington receives her Covid-19 vaccine along with other health and social care workers at the Life Science Centre International Centre for Life in Newcastle, one of the seven mass vaccination ce

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said three million coronavirus vaccine doses have now been administered across the UK, tweeting that he was “delighted” with the news, adding: “We’re accelerating the Covid vaccine rollout across the UK.”

Some large high street pharmacies, including Boots and Superdrug, have also begun the process of administering vaccines.

Following this, the idea of issuing those who have been vaccinated with a 'vaccine passport', has proven controversial and comes with serious questions around privacy, equality and discrimination.

How long will restrictions last though?

Well, Blackburn with Darwen's health boss, Professor Dominic Harrison said there will still be a risk of long Covid for those infected, and we will not get to herd immunity until the autumn when at least 80 per cent of the population is vaccinated and immune.

Prof. Harrison said we will still have to have some control measures in place but our social and economic life could open up again thanks to the 'speeding ahead' of vaccinations across the county, which will see Blackburn Cathedral Crypt ready to be used as a vaccination centre from January 18 with at least 1,700 appointments a day.

Prof. Harrison said: "There are nine priority groups for vaccination in the first phase of the national programme which, when completed, will ensure we have vaccinated everyone aged over 50.

"When this is done, it is estimated that over 90 per cent of those likely to be hospitalised or die from Covid will have been covered as there are very few Covid deaths in the under 50s.

"We could get to this point in late April or very early May. That will depend most critically on the supply of the vaccine itself.

"If more versions of the vaccine are approved and available for use before then, we can move quicker.

The Westmorland Gazette: Prime Minister Boris Johnson gives a thumbs up as he has his temperature taken during a visit to view the vaccination programme at Chase Farm Hospital in north London, part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. The NHS is ramping up its vaccinatiPrime Minister Boris Johnson gives a thumbs up as he has his temperature taken during a visit to view the vaccination programme at Chase Farm Hospital in north London, part of the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. The NHS is ramping up its vaccinati

Meanwhile, leading backbench Tory, Steve Baker said certain Government scientists had said that the current lockdown could last until late spring.

He said: “There is no reason to think there will be any real resistance in Cabinet to the argument for greater and longer and more draconian restrictions on the public.

“This could be a disaster. Nothing seems more certain to break the public than giving hope before taking it away, and doing it repeatedly.

"Government has adopted a strategy devoid of any commitment to liberty without any clarification about when our most basic freedoms will be restored and with no guarantee that they will never be taken away again.

“People are telling me they are losing faith in our Conservative Party leadership because they are not standing up for our values as a party.

“If we continue forward with a strategy that hammers freedom, hammers the private sector, hammers small business owners and hammers the poor, inevitably the Prime Minister’s leadership will be on the table: we strongly do not want that after all we have been through as a country."

So again, there's not much clarity here - it could be spring, it could be autumn, we just don't know yet.