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Coronavirus lockdown UK news – New rules in force TODAY as Britain put on highest EVER covid alert level over hospitals
THE UK has been plunged into a total month-long lockdown and slapped with the highest ever coronavirus alert levels.
The new rules came into force at midnight and are expected to remain in place until at least mid-February.
Boris Johnson said he had no choice but to order the closure of all schools and non-essential shops after being confronted with terrifying new data following the new super-infectious strain of coronavirus.
He said the NHS would be totally overwhelmed within 21 days if the new lockdown isn't put in place right away.
Brits can now only leave the house for exercise, work and school – if they cannot do so from home – medical treatment and in certain extreme measures, like to escape domestic violence.
Follow the very latest news, updates and analysis of the coronavirus crisis in our live blog below.
- Britta Zeltmann
LOCKDOWN LATEST
Boris Johnson has ordered everyone in England to stay at home until mid-February in an emergency shutdown similar to March.
Here are the rules you need to know.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
VACCINATION STRATEGY
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
BRITS LIMITED TO JUST ONE EXCERCISE SESSION PER DAY
Government documents released tonight confirmed Brits are limited to just one exercise session in the local area per day.
Rules come into effect for England at midnight on Wednesday, the PM said, although Brits must start following them now.
It's thought the strict measures will be in place until mid-February.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
GRAPH SHOWS SHOCKING COVID SPIKE
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
HUGE MUTANT COVID SURGE
The huge influx of Covid-19 cases after the emergence of a new mutant strain shows up as almost vertical on a graph.
There were 812 new cases per million people reported in the UK on January 3, which has grown four-fold from 220 a month prior.
Daily confirmed cases are far exceeding those reported in the first wave of the spring.
However, the time periods are not comparable because there was significantly less testing back then compared to now.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
SUPERMARKET HOME DELIVERY CHARGES
Here's what supermarkets charge for their home delivery services:
- Asda delivery charges range between £3 and £5.50. There's a £40 minimum spend on home delivery orders and a £25 minimum spend for click and collect.
- Iceland offers free home delivery, but you have to spend a minimum of £35 to place an order.
- Morrisons delivery slots cost between £1.70 and £6.90. There's a £40 minimum spend on home deliveries.
- Waitrose doesn't charge for delivery, but you need to spend a minimum of £60.
- Sainsbury's charges between 50p and £7 for delivery. There's a £25 minimum spend.
- Tesco charges £4.50 for all delivery slots. There's a £25 minimum spend.
- Ocado orders less than £75 cost between £2.99 and £6.99. More expensive orders are free.
LOCKDOWN FINES WON'T BE INCREASED
Fines for lockdown rule-breakers won't be increased as we enter a fresh national lockdown.
It means anyone who breaks the rules to leave home or go somewhere without a reasonable excuse will face a fine of £60 in Scotland – and up to £200 in England.
That can rise up to £6,400 for multiple offences which add up.
Police will have legal power to enforce this including fines or dispersing orders.
MEET-UP RULES
Brits can meet one person from outside their household for excersise.
They can only meet one person, once a day.
Visiting loved ones in their homes – or even gardens – is now banned under the new rule to control the spread of a mutant new strain of Covid.
Instead, people in England will only be able to meet one other person in a public space outside to exercise – meaning even perching on a park bench to chat with a pal isn't allowed.
The only exceptions are for support and childcare bubbles, for children whose parents have separated, and for those who provide care to disabled or vulnerable people.
ENGLAND IN LOCKDOWN
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
HOLIDAY BAN
Holidays will be banned for the whole of England until mid-February under a tough new coronavirus lockdown.
All international holidays will be banned for everyone in England, with only essential travel allowed.
If you do need to travel overseas, you can only do so with a legally permitted reason, like for work.
UK residents who are already abroad do not need to return immediately, but they are advised to check with their airline or travel operator about arrangements for returning home.
Overnight stays within the UK are also banned, with people being told to stay in their local area and not travel long distances across the country.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
TAKEAWAY PINTS BANNED
Takeaway alcohol is banned in the new national lockdown.
Brits had previously been allowed to buy a takeaway pint from the pub to enjoy.
But the new rules mean that pubs won't even be allowed to do that.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
LOCKDOWN AT A GLANCE
- From tonight, stay at home until mid-February (all of England)
- Law to come in when regulations will be laid tomorrow
- All schools shut until Feb half term
- Nurseries and special schools to stay open
- Kids continue to see both parents if they are divorced
- All shielders should stay home as in Tier 4
- Non essential retail to shut if they haven't already
- No takeaway alcohol
- Police can fine people up to £200 for breaking rules as before – or £10,000 to businesses and for hosing gatherings
- Weddings can take place as per Tier 4 – only if people are dying – and only funerals in small numbers
- Students must not return to university until middle of Feb and stay put if they can
- Outdoor sports venues to close but playgrounds remain open
- People can ONLY exercise with 1 other person – no meeting them on bench for a cuppa
- Support and childcare bubbles to continue
- Only travel abroad if it's essential
- School meal vouchers will continue in some form but Gov ironing out details
- Kids' sport cancelled unless through school
MOST VULNERABLE TO BE VACCINATED BY FEBRUARY
Boris Johnson has announced plans to vaccinate the top four most vulnerable groups of Brits by February.
Speaking at tonight's press conference he said: "With every jab that goes into our arms, we are tilting the odds against Covid and in favour of the British people."
The four groups are:
- Those in care homes
- The over 70s
- Health and care workers
- The clinically extremely vulnerable
WHAT DID BORIS JOHNSON ANNOUNCE TONIGHT?
Boris Johnson tonight announced a new national lockdown in England.
He said people should act now, but that the rules will officially come into affect in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Here's what the PM annoucned:
- Schools moving online
- GCSE and A Level exams to be re-arranged
- Schools will remain open for vulnerable children and children of key workers
- Stay and work from home, if you can
- Only leave the house for exercise, medical treatment, and other certain circumstances
- Everyone in top four most vulnerable groups to be vaccinated by February
LABOUR IN SUPPORT OF NEW PACKAGE OF MEASURES
Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer has said the opposition fully supports Boris Johnson's introduction of a new national lockdown.
The lockdown will come into force by law in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Sir Keir said "the most important thing is the stay at home message," adding the vaccine rollout is a glimmer of hope on the horizon.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
NHS COULD BE OVERWHELMED IN 21 DAYS
The UK will be moved to alert Level 5 tonight and enter a new national lockdown.
Boris Johnson said the measures are imperative as the NHS faces becoming overwhelmed in just 21 days.
He added there were currently 27,000Covid patients in NHS hospitals at the moment – which is 40 per cent higher than at the height of the first wave.
The PM said deaths would also continue to rise, and that his thoughts were with those who had lost loved ones to the virus.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
'THE END IS IN SIGHT'
As England enters a new national lockdown Boris Johnson has insisted "the end is in sight".
Referring to the vaccine rollout, he said: "Thanks to the miracle of science, not only is the end in sight – but we know exactly how we will get there."
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
TIERS COULD BE BACK BY FEB
Boris Johnson has said the national lockdown will be reconsidered over the February half-term.
He suggested the Tier system could be reintroduced at that point.
Mr Johnson also said that schools may re-open after the February half-term.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
SCHOOLS TO MOVE ONLINE
Schooling must move to remote teaching and learning as England enters a new national lockdown.
A new “stay at home” message is back in force across the country.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
NEW NATIONAL LOCKDOWN
England will be placed into a new national lockdown.
Boris Johnson said: "It’s clear that we need to do more together to bring this new variant under control.
‘We must therefor go into a new national lockdown that is tough enough to control this new variant."
He added people must "stay at home".
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
'FRUSTRATING AND WORRYING NEW STRAIN'
Boris Johnson has described the new strain of coronavirus as "frustrating and worrying".
It is thought to be 70 per cent more infectuous.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
'COLLECTIVE EFFORTS WERE WORKING'
Boris Johnson has said previous efforts to battle the old strain were working, and would have continued to do so.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
BORIS JOHNSON 8PM PRESS CONFERENCE: WATCH LIVE
Follow along for all the latest updates.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
NEW MEASURES EXPECTED TO TAKE AFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT
New lockdown measures announced shortly are expected to come into force from midnight tonight.
Boris Johnson is expected to introduce a March-style lockdown at a press conference tonight at 8pm.
- Lottie Tiplady-Bishop
WHAT TO EXPECT FROM TONIGHT’S PRESS CONFERENCE
Boris Johnson will make an announcement tonight at 8pm.
He is likely to introduce tougher lockdown measures, which will probably another national lockdown.
Here’s what to expect:
- Schools closed – possibly until the February half-term
- A strict ‘stay at home message,’ similar to March
- Working from home
- Blanket measures across the country, and Tiers scrapped (for now)
- Ban on household mixing
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