Changes to UK Health Protection Regulations in the UK make it illegal for two people who live in different homes to have sex and/or stay overnight, as two or more people from different households constitute a banned gathering.

The law stipulates: “There is a gathering when two or more people are present together in the same place in order to engage in any form of social interaction with each other, or to undertake any other activity with each other.”

According to the Independent newspaper, people who have sex outside can be punished under pre-existing laws on outraging public decency and indecent exposure. Police can arrest or fine people for breaking the law, with the default penalty standing at £100 in England, but do not have the power to check for violations inside properties.

The official death toll from coronavirus in the UK now stands at 38,489. On Sunday, May 31, there were 113 new deaths and 1,936 new cases, according to official government figures. France has recorded 28,802 deaths, including 31 on Sunday. Meanwhile, Italy has reported a total of 33,415 deaths from coronavirus, including 75 new deaths on Sunday.

Spain recorded no new deaths on Monday, while on Monday evening the country’s tourism minister dashed hopes that UK tourists could take holidays there this summer, saying that visitors would be welcome only from countries with a similar pattern of cases and fatalities.

ILLUSTRATION: A still from the 1973 British film No sex please, we’re British