Boris Johnson: We are entering the last phase of the struggle

Boris Johnson has announced a swathe of new restrictions for England, just hours after Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced a new lockdown. Speaking during an address in Downing Street this evening, the Prime Minister ordered primary schools, secondaries and colleges to move to remote teaching for all students except for children of key workers or those who are vulnerable, from Tuesday. He also announced people are being told to stay at home other than for limited exceptions, with measures expected to last until mid-February.

The Prime Minister added: “I want to say to everyone right across the United Kingdom that I know how tough this is, I know how frustrated you are, I know that you have had more than enough of government guidance about defeating this virus.

“But now more than ever, we must pull together. You should follow the new rules from now, and they will become law in the early hours of Wednesday morning. Parliament will meet – largely remotely – later that day.

“The weeks ahead will be the hardest yet but I really do believe that we are entering the last phase of the struggle.

“Because with every jab that goes into our arms, we are tilting the odds against Covid and in favour of the British people.”

READ MORE: Covid vaccine: Boris Johnson says ‘top 4’ will receive first dose 

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The bombshell announcement today comes as coronavirus cases in the UK have reached staggering new highs.

The Government announced on Monday that 58,784 people had tested positive for Covid-19 in the previous 24 hours, with 383,834 people being diagnosed with the virus in the last seven days – up 49 percent from the previous week.

A further 407 people have died from the virus in the last day, with weekly deaths up 20 percent.

Mr Johnson said the new variant, which is up to 70 percent more transmissible, was spreading in a “frustrating and alarming” manner.

He also warned that the number of Covid patients in English hospitals is 40 percent higher than the first peak.

What are the full national lockdown rules? Key points

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