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The UK is at a “dangerous tipping point” and must act, Boris Johnson told MPs, announcing new restrictions for England, including reducing the size of wedding celebrations and a ban on indoor team sports. , as well as returning to work from home.
Speaking in the Commons on Tuesday, the British Prime Minister announced a ban on indoor team sports, such as futsal, and said plans for a partial return of sports fans to stadiums from 1 October. they had “stopped”. Wedding celebrations will be limited to just 15 guests, half of what was previously allowed, although funerals will be allowed to continue with up to 30 mourners.
The masks will be mandatory for retail and hotel staff, as well as passengers in taxis, a key demand from London Mayor Sadiq Khan, who spoke with Johnson on Tuesday morning.
The prime minister said the restrictions may be in place for “maybe six months” and warned that there can be no complacency.
“After six months of restrictions, it would 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, you are somehow immune,” he said.
“That kind of complacency could be our downfall. if we don’t act together now, we not only put others at risk, but we put our own future at risk with the most drastic action that we will inevitably be forced to take. “
In addition to the 10pm closing time for pubs, bars and restaurants in England, which was announced overnight, takeaway pickups will also close from 10pm, although they will be allowed to continue deliveries and pubs may only offer table service, which will be enforced. by law. The law will require venues to enforce the “rule of six” and social distancing.
The rule, which goes into effect Thursday, will mean venues must close their doors at 10 p.m., rather than simply knocking for the latest orders.
“This is by no means a return to full closure in March, we are not giving instructions to stay home,” Johnson said, emphasizing that schools and businesses must remain open.
“But once again we are asking office workers who can work from home to do so,” he said, though he stressed that key workers should continue to attend workplaces.
North Ireland
Northern Ireland Deputy Prime Minister Michelle O’Neill said the British government was unwilling to provide support in response to requests for an extension of the work leave program during an emergency meeting.
“I made it very clear in today’s conversation that we need to have a very focused north-south, east-west approach, that we need to work across this island and between the two islands in terms of our response.
“We are facing a very difficult winter. I raised the issue of the permit and financial support scheme if we have to take more draconian measures, which I hope we will not reach that point ”.
On Thursday, Stormont ministers will discuss what potential “tools” they can use to manage the current stage of the crisis. Ms. O’Neill added: “Those issues needed to be raised because ultimately, when draconian action has to be taken, we must be able to financially support families and workers and enable them to do the right thing in what is happening. it will be a very difficult winter ”.
The new Covid-19 restrictions will be extended to all of Northern Ireland starting Tuesday night.
There will be no mixing of homes indoors with exemptions, while no more than six people from two households can meet in a garden.
Previously, the measures only applied to Belfast and Ballymena in Co Antrim. The deputy prime minister said: “I also want to prioritize that schools remain open.
“We have an inevitable increase in positive cases, which will continue, but the window of opportunity should not be lost. We have the opportunity now in the next two to three weeks to try to reverse the trend. “
He said they had to consider whether lessons could be learned from how people had responded globally.
Pubs that don’t serve food must be open on Wednesdays, despite the new restrictions.
Ms O’Neill said: “I think it is a mixed message that progress is being made towards opening a sector, but the bar sector is the only part of the entire hospitality sector that has not been opened.
“You have to be reasonable in this regard, 30,000 jobs are affected by this sector that is not opening.”
He said there was a difference between a regulated environment with good hygiene measures and people’s homes, where they feel more relaxed and are less likely to wash their hands.
“I accept that it is a somewhat contradictory message, but we would only move forward if science and health councils say we can,” he added.
‘A change of emphasis’
Michael Gove, Britain’s cabinet office minister, previously confirmed what he described as “a shift in emphasis” towards working from home after weeks of headlines where ministers urged workers to return to office. From the center of the city.
Downing Street has said that MPs are expected to continue their current arrangements, but the goals of public officials returning en masse to Whitehall will not be upheld.
The new measures come after a weekend of tense debate between cabinet ministers and scientists, and are softer than those raised in the councils of government scientific advisers in recent weeks, which included a two-week total lockdown as “circuit breaker”.
Khan welcomed the additional new measures, but said the capital may still need additional restrictions.
“They discussed the rapidly worsening situation in London, including increasing ICU admission rates, and the need to go further now to avoid a disastrous total lockdown in the future, which includes mandatory face coverings for workers in hospitality and a more widespread use of face coverings, “said a spokesman for the mayor said.
“It is clear that London has unique needs and challenges and additional measures that are suitable for the capital should be examined.” – Guardian and PA
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