Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces national UK lockdown
The Prime Minister has announced a national lockdown and instructed people to stay at home to control the virus, protect the NHS and save lives.
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Jan 6, England: The decision follows a rapid rise in infections, hospital admissions and case rates across the country, and our hospitals are now under more pressure than they have been at any other point throughout the pandemic.
This drastic jump in cases has been attributed to the new variant of COVID-19, which our scientists have now confirmed is between 50 and 70 per cent more transmissible.
On 4 January, there were 26,626 Covid patients in the hospital in England, an increase of over 30% in one week, and the April 2020 hospital admissions peak has now been surpassed by 40%.
Also, read- The UK Chief Medical Officers statement on the prioritisation of first doses of COVID-19 vaccine
The case rate in England up to 29 December was 478.5 per 100k, three times higher than on 1 December when the case rate was 151.3.
On 3 Jan, 454 deaths were reported, with 4,228 over the last 7 days – a 24% increase on the previous 7 days.
This afternoon, the four UK Chief Medical Officers have advised that the COVID threat level should move from level four to level five, indicating that if action is not taken NHS capacity may be overwhelmed within 21 days.
The Prime Minister praised everyone’s collective efforts to get this virus under control, emphasising the great national effort to fight Covid. Despite this, the pressure on our NHS, rapidly rising infection rates and hospital admissions due to the new variant mean that another national lockdown is sadly necessary.
Also, read- The UK Chief Medical Officers statement on the prioritisation of first doses of COVID-19 vaccine
From 5th Jan, people allowed only to leave their homes for the following reasons:
shop for basic necessities, for you or a vulnerable person.
go to work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, if you cannot reasonably do so from home.
exercise with your household (or support bubble) or one other person, this should be limited to once per day, and you should not travel outside your local area.
meet your support bubble or childcare bubble where necessary, but only if you are legally permitted to form one.
seek medical assistance or avoid injury, illness or risk of harm (including domestic abuse).
attend education or childcare - for those eligible.