The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (No. 2) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/684) is a statutory instrument (SI) enacted on 4 July 2020 by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Matt Hancock, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It replaced and relaxed the previous Lockdown Regulations (SI 2020/350), and gave the Secretary of State powers to make declarations restricting access to public outdoor places. This SI related to England only; there were similar regulations for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Within England, Leicester was initially excluded to its high rate of COVID-19. Subsequent amendments were made to enable more restrictive local rules to be applied in other areas. The regulations were substantially amended on 14 October 2020 by the First COVID-19 tier regulations, and expired on 4 January 2021. Context and earlier regulations The first responses by the UK government to the developing COVID-19 pandemic in England took the form of guidance rather than legislation. Statements by the prime minister and other ministers included advice to schools to cancel trips abroad (12 March); to the public to avoid non-essential travel, crowded places such as pubs and theatres, mass gatherings, and visits to care homes (16 March); and escalated to the closure of schools, colleges and nurseries (announced 18 March, effective 21 March). Initial regulations, from 21 March 2020 On 21 March under emergency powers the government enacted The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Business Closure) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/327) which enforced the closure in England of businesses selling food and drink for consumption on the premises, as well as a range of other businesses such as nightclubs and indoor leisure centres where a high risk of infection could be expected. SI 2020/350 revoked SI 2020/327, which had come into force only five days earlier, and re-enacted most of its provisions with more extensive restrictions. Lockdown Regulations, from 26 March 2020 The Health Protection (Coronavirus, Restrictions) (England) Regulations 2020 (SI 2020/350), informally known as "the Lockdown Regulations", replaced SI 2020/327 on 26 March 2020 with a series of more stringent restrictions. These regulations became the principal delegated English legislation restricting freedom of movement, gatherings, and business closures during the COVID-19 emergency period. There were four primary amendments to SI 2020/327, progressively relaxing the rules, on 22 April, 13 May, 1 June, and 13/15 June. On 4 July 2020, SI 2020/350 was repealed and replaced by these regulations, SI 2020/684. Regulations