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The British government has extended its tighter coronavirus restrictions to more than three-quarters of England’s population, saying that a new, fast-spreading variant of the virus has reached most of the country.
British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said at midnight Wednesday (local time) that the government’s maximum level of infection warning would expand beyond London and the south-east to cover large swaths of central, north and south-west England. , including the major cities of Manchester and Birmingham.
The move will drastically reduce New Years celebrations in parts of England that are home to 44 million people, or 78 percent of the population.
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Frank Augstein / AP
By the rules, most people can’t mingle with members of other households, and nonessential stores are closed.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government considered imposing a nationwide blockade “intensely” but had decided not to do so for now.
Under England’s “Tier 4” restrictions, most people are advised to stay indoors, are prohibited from mingling with members of other households, either indoors or out, non-essential stores are closed and restaurants and bars can only offer take away food.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have also implemented heavy lockdown measures.
Hospitals in the hardest hit areas of London and the south of England are increasingly overloaded, and ambulances are unable to unload patients in some hospitals where all beds are taken.
There are more people in hospitals with Covid-19 now than at the first peak of the outbreak in April.
Steve Parsons / AP
Heath Secretary Matt Hancock announces that the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca’s Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for use in Britain.
Britain has recorded more than 72,500 confirmed deaths from coronavirus, the second highest death toll in Europe after Italy and the sixth highest in the world.
The country reported a record number of new confirmed cases on Tuesday, more than 53,000 and 50,023 on Wednesday.
The UK also reported that another 981 people with the coronavirus had died in the past 24 hours. It was the highest daily number of reported deaths since April, although a delay in reporting followed over the Christmas holidays.
Hancock said Wednesday’s authorization of a second vaccine for use in the UK was good news, but “the increasing cases and hospitalizations that continue demonstrate the need to act where the virus is spreading.”
Heathcliff O’Malley / AP
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the government considered “intensely” imposing a nationwide blockade.
He told politicians in the House of Commons that the drug regulator’s approval of the vaccine by British pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford “brings forward the day when we can lift the restrictions.”
“But … we must act to suppress the virus now, especially as the new variant makes the time between now and then even more difficult.”
In addition to the broader restrictions, the government delayed going back to school after the Christmas break for millions of students.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said secondary schools in England will not resume teaching in person until January 11.
Frank Augstein / AP
There are more people in hospitals with Covid-19 now than at the first peak of the outbreak in April.
Most elementary schools will welcome students Monday as planned, though not those in some virus hot spots, including a large part of London.
Johnson said the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine and another already in use developed by US drugmaker Pfizer and German company BioNTech mean “there are many reasons for people to be optimistic about spring.”
However, Johnson said, “People should in no way think this is over.”
