You should consider the risk of catching COVID-19, or passing it on, before visiting places attended by others or meeting people you do not live with. While no situation is risk-free, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 and to make meeting family and friends safer you should:
stay at least 2 metres away from people you do not live with or who are not in your support bubble
minimise how many people you come into close contact with, and for how long
reduce the time spent in crowded areas where it may be difficult to socially distance
avoid direct contact and face to face contact with people you do not live with
stay at least 2 metres away from anyone who visits your home for work reasons such as a cleaner or a tradesperson doing essential or urgent work
If you are meeting friends and family you should still be cautious, even if you feel well. You can pass COVID-19 on to others if you only have mild symptoms or even no symptoms at all. Remember that some people are more vulnerable than others to becoming seriously ill from COVID-19 and any close contact is a greater risk to them. For example, people that are clinically extremely vulnerable or those that have not been vaccinated. Further guidance on meeting friends and family is available. Why keeping a safe distance is important COVID-19 spreads mainly among people who are in close contact (within 2 metres). Longer periods of close contact increase the risk, but COVID-19 can spread even with brief contact. The further away you can keep from other people, and the less time you spend in close contact with them, the less likely you are to catch COVID-19 and pass it on to others. Close contact, including hugging, increases the risk of spreading COVID-19.