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LONDON (Reuters) – Londoners ignored the resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic and flocked to pubs and restaurants on Wednesday night, hours before the introduction of a new month-long shutdown in England.
While the UK death toll from the coronavirus rose by 492 on Wednesday, the most since mid-May, London’s Soho entertainment district was busy with revelers looking for one last night before closing.
People will be ordered to stay home starting at 0001 GMT on Thursday to combat a surge in new infections that scientists say could, if left unchecked, cause more deaths than a first wave that forced a shutdown three months earlier this year.
The UK has the highest official death toll in Europe from COVID-19 and is dealing with more than 20,000 new coronavirus cases a day. Scientists warned that the “worst case” scenario of 80,000 deaths could be overcome without action.
Even before Wednesday, data from the OpenTable restaurant reservation service showed an increase in demand for London restaurants in the run-up to the new closure.
Several English police forces used social media to urge people going out on Wednesday night to follow social distancing rules.
The rest of the UK – Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland – have their own lockdown policies and enacted stricter health restrictions last month.
(Report by Henry Nicholls; written by Andy Bruce; edited by Peter Cooney)
