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Boris Johnson is ready to order pubs in England to bring in new closing times at 10pm to curb rising coronavirus infections.
The prime minister will deliver a Commons speech on Tuesday, where he is expected to lay out new measures to deal with the spread of the virus.
Curfews for hospitality venues are among looming new restrictions, as well as stricter enforcement for rule-breaking pubs, according to the Sun.
It comes as Northern Ireland Prime Minister Arlene Foster announced that stricter lockdown measures would be applied across the country from Tuesday.
Visits inside between different homes will be prohibited except for one-person bubbles, he said at a news conference.
(Image: Getty Images)
No more than six people from two households can meet in private gardens.
The prime minister spent the weekend deciding whether to take stricter measures as coronavirus cases soared across the country.
On Tuesday he will update MPs on the situation after chairing meetings of the government’s Cobra emergency committee and his cabinet.
The Mirror understands that the prime minister will also address the nation on Tuesday night, where he is expected to lay out a series of new enforcement measures.
Johnson also held talks with the leaders of decentralized administrations on Monday, in a sign that No. 10 is pushing for a UK-wide approach to tightening the lockdown.
Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon is also expected to make a statement on Tuesday.
It comes after the UK virus alert level increased from 3 to 4, the first change since June.
In a joint statement, UK Medical Directors said: “After a period of lower Covid cases and deaths, the number of cases is increasing rapidly and probably exponentially in significant parts of the four nations.”
“If we want to avoid significant excess deaths and exceptional pressure on the NHS and other health services during the fall and winter, everyone must follow social distancing guidelines, wear face covers correctly, and wash their hands regularly.
“We know this will be worrying news for many people – please follow the rules, take care of each other and together we will get through this.”
Top government scientists delivered a condemning speech to the nation on Monday, warning that cases were doubling each week, potentially reaching 50,000 a day by mid-October if no action is taken.
Chief Scientific Adviser Sir Patrick Vallance said the UK could see 200 or more deaths per day by mid-November if the current rate of infection continues.
And he warned that “the vast majority of the population remains susceptible” to contracting the virus.
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