The UK government has ruled couples who don't live together must still obey COVID-19 rules against indoor "mingling" - meaning a return to this summer's brief "sex ban".
Downing Street confirmed that the previous exemption to social distancing rules for people in an "established relationship" would not be carried over to the new three-tier local lockdown system, the Daily Mail reported.
Those in areas under tier two and above measures "should mix with your own household only unless you have formed a support bubble and that obviously does apply to some couples," Prime Minister Boris Johnson's spokesman said.
He said the measures were designed to stop coronavirus spreading between households, and "the scientific advice is that there is greater transmission of the virus indoors."
Johnson's spokesman said lovers can't even kiss and cuddle in the park or other public spaces.
"The rules set out that people should follow social distancing and the hands, face, space rules," he insisted.
"There shouldn’t be mixing between different households indoors," the PM's spokesman said, but hinted at a loophole.
"There are exemptions to that with support bubbles and in a number of cases support bubbles will involve couples who live apart," he said.
But the government website guidelines on 'support bubbles' say they are intended for those who care for other adults in need and for separated couples with children who need looking after at times.
Johnson's own fiancé Carrie Symonds gave birth to his son Wilfred in May - just weeks after the PM was discharged from hospital after falling seriously ill with COVID-19.
