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Boris Johnson announced plans about a nationwide month-long lockdown in England over the weekend. Now the lockdown has come into force and people are advised to stay at home at all times except for very specific reasons. The Prime Minister will address the nation on Thursday, but what time is he due to speak?

England began its first day of a four-week lockdown today (Thursday, October 5) implemented in a bid to address the rising rates of coronavirus.

People must now stay at home and all non-essential shops, pubs and gyms have been ordered to close.

The lockdown came into effect as the Government confirmed 25,177 new COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, continuing the pattern of sharp rises from months before.

Cases are rising quickly across large parts of England, prompting the Government to implement the lockdown across all of England until December 2. 

On Thursday, the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak told the House of Commons he would extend the furlough scheme.

The furlough scheme was originally due to end at the start of November, but was extended over the weekend until December to avoid mass redundancies during the second lockdown.

Now Mr Sunak has revealed the furlough scheme will be available until the end of March 2021.

The Treasury also said anyone who has been made redundant after September 23, when the replacement furlough scheme was announced, can be brought back onto the furlough scheme.

When is Boris Johnson’s next announcement?

To mark the first day of lockdown, Downing Street has confirmed Mr Johnson will make an announcement.

The Prime Minister will lead a press conference at Downing Street on Thursday afternoon.

He is due to speak at 5pm and will be joined by the chief executive of the NHS Sir Simon Stevens.

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Mr Johnson will likely provide an update to the country on the first day of lockdown in England and may also speak of the financial packages unveiled by the Chancellor.

Any part of the UK can access the financial packages, but only England is currently under the month-long lockdown.

The rules of lockdown mean people are only permitted to leave their homes for:

• Education
• Work if they cannot work from home
• To exercise outdoors or visit an outdoor public place
• For medical reasons
• To escape injury or harm
• To shop for food and other essentials
• To provide care for vulnerable people
• To visit people in your support people or as a volunteer.

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