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Britain’s government is banning gatherings of more than six people in England as officials try to control daily new coronavirus infections.
This came after a sharp spike across the UK that has been largely attributed to young adults going to parties and ignoring social distancing rules.
Downing Street said urgent action is needed after the number of laboratory-confirmed daily positive cases reached nearly 3,000 on Sunday. The figure dropped to 2,460 on Tuesday.
Officials said that as of Monday (local time), the legal limit for all social gatherings in England will be lowered from the current 30 people to six.
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The new law applies both indoors and outdoors, including private homes, restaurants and parks. Failure to comply could result in a £ 100 (NZ $ 196) fine.
Weddings, school, funerals, and organized team sports are exempt, and larger gatherings will also be allowed if the home or “support bubble” is greater than six.
Government ministers and scientists took to the airwaves to urge the British not to lower their guard.
“We’ve been able to relax a bit over the summer … but these latest numbers really show us that as much as people would like to say ‘Oh well, it’s gone,’ this hasn’t gone away,” said Dr. Jonathan Van-Tam, deputy chief medical officer for the government.
He said that while the rise in infections is “much more marked” among 17-21 year olds, he was concerned about a “more general and progressive geographic trend” across the UK.
“People have become too relaxed,” he said. “Now is the time to re-engage and realize that this is an ongoing threat.”
Ben Birchall / AP
Shoppers are queuing for food in the center of Caerphilly as the county district will be placed under a local lockdown following a “significant spike” in coronavirus cases, in Caerphilly, South Wales.
The UK has the worst death toll from the virus in Europe, with nearly 41,600 deaths in the 28 days after testing positive. The actual number of victims is believed to be much higher, as the government tally does not include those who died without being examined.
The increase in cases in the UK follows large daily increases in cases in Spain and France, who have seen an increase in the number of hospitalized Covid-19 patients.
Spain registered an average of 8,800 new cases per day over the weekend, and France has registered more than 5,000 per day.
The concern is that the UK will also start to see an increase in virus patients who are hospitalized and die.
“While young people are less likely to die from this disease, have no doubt that they are still at risk,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock told lawmakers, adding that six months after becoming infected, some people previously in good shape are still victims of chronic diseases. fatigue, muscle pain, and shortness of breath.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conservative government has faced heavy criticism for its mixed messages since it began easing the coronavirus lockdown in late spring.
He spent much of the summer encouraging people to go out to eat to help the struggling hotel sector and now urges workers to return to their offices to help the worst-hit businesses in city centers.
John Edmunds, an epidemiologist at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, said cases are increasing, although “not dramatically,” but he is concerned about what will happen after schools and universities reopen.
“There are big movements underway in the country and these will inevitably speed up transmission,” he told Sky News. “I’m not sure we have to go back to work when we can work from home.”
Ben Birchall / AP
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s conservative government has faced heavy criticism for its mixed messages since it began easing the coronavirus lockdown in late spring.
The government has also come under fire for testing problems, prompting an apology from Sarah-Jane Marsh, director of the National Health Service’s testing and tracing program.
“All of our test sites have capacity, so they don’t seem crowded. The processing of our laboratory is the critical point, ”he said. “We are doing everything possible to expand rapidly.”
“The test team works on this 18 hours a day, seven days a week,” he said.
Still, the UK is testing tens of thousands more people than in the first months of the pandemic. On Monday, it processed about 175,000 tests.
Meanwhile, a local blockade in the Welsh district of Caerphilly took effect on Tuesday. Under the new restrictions, people will not be allowed to enter or leave the area without a reasonable excuse, everyone over the age of 11 must wear masks in stores, and indoor gatherings between different households are prohibited.
Hancock also announced new lockdown restrictions for Bolton, a city in north-west England that has the highest number of coronavirus cases per capita in the UK.
Most new cases involve people between the ages of 18 and 49.
Among the restrictions, Hancock said restaurants, cafes and pubs in Bolton can now only offer takeout services.
