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The government has announced emergency action to try to curb the feared autumnal resurgence of the coronavirus, tightening laws to ban virtually all gatherings of more than six people in England.
Amid concerns that the current rules are widely misunderstood and too difficult for police to implement, Boris Johnson will hold a press conference in Downing Street on Wednesday to outline the new restrictions.
The dramatic shift in focus from No. 10 follows a sudden increase in the number of people infected with the virus, with nearly 8,500 positive tests recorded in England in the past three days.
On Tuesday, ministers added Bolton to the number of cities and towns under local lockdown, restricting restaurants and pubs to takeout and forcing all venues to close from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m.
Bottlenecks in the labs that process Covid tests have hampered the government’s attempts to stay abreast of the pandemic. Labor leader Keir Starmer warned that the test-and-trace system is “on the brink of collapse.”
With the government saying that testing delays could take two weeks to fix, directors and nursing homes warned of possible knock-on effects in trying to contain new outbreaks.
Ministers have been increasingly concerned that young people ignoring the rules have helped drive the UK’s daily rate of positive coronavirus tests to 2,400 or more for three consecutive days. The fear is that the currently low levels of hospital admissions for Covid-19 could also skyrocket, as older relatives and other more vulnerable people become infected.
Under current rules for England, the guidelines limit most outdoor gatherings to six people, or no more than two households or household bubbles if people gather indoors.
The law allows a higher limit of 30 people, but this is supposed to only apply for a community event or gathering such as a wedding. So far, the police have not had powers to stop gatherings of up to 30 people and ministers believe it has been widely abused.
This will change from Monday to reduce the default maximum to six, making it easier for police to identify and disperse illegal gatherings.
In comments posted before the press conference for No. 10, Johnson said: “We need to act now to stop the spread of the virus. Therefore, we are simplifying and strengthening the rules on social contact, making them easier to understand and for the police to enforce ”.
Downing Street had hinted at a possible rule change, but it was not immediately expected. The fast-paced schedule follows a cabinet meeting Tuesday morning in which Professor Chris Whitty, England’s chief medical officer, and Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s top scientific adviser, told ministers urgent action was needed.
It also comes after an online meeting Johnson had with law enforcement last week, where officers said they wanted to see simpler rules about social distancing.
The new limit, which goes into effect on Monday, applies across England and in public and private spaces, including parks, pubs and restaurants. It also covers all ages, which means that children will be prevented from getting together in larger groups, for example to play informal soccer matches.
The only exemptions are when households or support bubbles have more than six people; where the meetings are for work or educational purposes; or for weddings, funerals, and organized team sports conducted safely.
Detailed explanations of the changes have not yet been released. For now, the rules in other parts of the UK remain unchanged. In Scotland, gatherings are limited to five homes outdoors or three homes indoors. In Wales the outdoor limit is still 30, but people inside are discouraged from any contact with people outside their home.
Parallel to Johnson’s press conference, the government will launch a new public information campaign on Wednesday to reiterate the messages on hand washing and the use of masks.
Follow the new rules for Bolton revealed by Matt Hancock, the health secretary, which means that the guide that prohibits people from socializing outside of their homes will also become law.
There is an average of 120 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents of Bolton, which means it has the highest rate in the country. The increase in Bolton is due “in part to the socialization of people in their 20s and 30s,” Hancock told Commons, explaining that contact trackers had identified several pubs where the virus had spread.
Revealing the measures that will be imposed immediately, Hancock said: “We will restrict all hospitality to takeout only and introduce a nightly restriction on hours of operation that will mean that all venues will be closed from 10 pm to 5 am.
“We will urgently introduce more measures to make law the current guideline that people cannot socialize outside the home.”
Bolton’s council said Saturday it was introducing stricter measures “with immediate effect,” asking people not to mix with other homes in any environment, whether indoors or out, and to only use public transportation for purposes. essential.
The conservative leader of the Bolton Council, Councilor David Greenhalgh, said that the measures “are not something we want to do, but it is clear that the virus is currently moving through the municipality without control and so we must stop the rate of transmission.” .
“The rate has gone from 15 cases per 100,000 to more than 120 in the space of two weeks, and if we do not achieve control of the virus now, we will continue to put our most vulnerable residents at risk and delay any return to normalcy,” he added . he said.
Leaders of much of northern England on Tuesday pleaded with residents to “do their part” to avoid further lockdown measures. Representatives from all local authorities in the Northeast wrote an open letter criticizing the “significant minority” of residents who had house parties and ignored the rules, saying they were “deeply concerned” by the growing number of positive coronavirus cases, particularly among the young. Adults.
