LONDON — U.K. Prime Parson Boris Johnson said Tuesday that the country was at a “perilous turning point” and he had to act now to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
In a unmistakeable change of tone, Johnson reversed the lifting of some lockdown measures in England, telling people to work from about once again if possible. It comes just weeks after the prime minster repeatedly urged people to repetition to the office.
He warned that the new measures, which include the early closing of pubs and restaurants, could be in place for up to six months. Sets and universities will remain open, however, as can businesses that operate in a “Covid compliant way.”
“After six months of stipulations it will be tempting to hope that the threat has faded, and to seek comfort in the belief that if you have avoided the virus so far then you are by crook immune. I have to say that it is that kind of complacency that could be our undoing,” Johnson told the U.K.’s House of Commons.
The disclosure comes after a surge in coronavirus cases in the country, with a further 4,368 daily cases reported on Monday. The thrive in cases over recent days had already led to localized lockdown measures being imposed in parts of northern England. Unions of more than six people are also no longer allowed to meet up.
Meanwhile, the government’s scientific advisors warned on Monday that, if no strength was taken, the country was heading toward almost 50,000 new cases per day by mid-October. This would lead to 200 or various deaths a day, they said.
The restrictions announced by the prime minister on Tuesday include:
- Hospitality businesses, such a taverns and restaurants, must provide table service only, and close by 10 p.m. from Thursday.
- The use of face masks intention be extended across a “range of areas.”
- The number of people allowed to attend weddings has been reduced to 15.
- People who can opus from home, should do so.
- Sports venues will not be able to reopen from Oct. 1.
Johnson stressed that the new assigns will be enforced with higher penalties and businesses will be fined for breaking the rules.
He added that if they did not foremost to an improvement in the number of coronavirus cases, more restrictions could be imposed. On the other hand, he said that if the closely-watched “R” carbon copy rate of the virus, and hospital admissions, improved, the plan could be reconsidered.
Scotland’s First Minister also communicated Tuesday that she would be imposing new coronavirus restrictions in the country, and that they would go further than England’s.
“We in view, as Northern Ireland did yesterday, to also introduce nationwide additional restrictions on household gatherings, similar to those already in strike it rich in the west of Scotland,” Nicola Sturgeon said from Holyrood.
– Holly Ellyatt contributed to this report