More than 20 million people have been imprisoned in England since Sunday, when strict restrictive measures come into force due to the alarming increase in cases of covid-19, which the British government links to a new strain.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday imposed draconian measures on London and large areas of the south-east of England, which as of today are at risk level 4 – severe – with the closure of non-essential shops, gyms, hairdressers and such as a ban on going to other parts of the country.
With these rules, the flexible plans that the Government authorized between December 22-28 have also been amended so that families and friends can get together for Christmas.
Those living at level 4 will not be able to join other people living at lower levels, while the rest of England, which is between levels 1-3 – low, moderate and substantial -, this flexibility will be reserved only for the day Christmas, a measure that will also apply in Scotland and Wales.
The rules set in England will last two weeks and will be reviewed on 30 December.
A REVERSE FOR CHRISTMAS STORES
London Mayor Sadiq Khan told the BBC on Sunday that the government’s last-minute announcement was a “severe blow” to families and businesses and caused “anxiety, despair, sadness and disappointment” for thousands of people.
“I’m afraid this makes it very difficult for people like me to ask people to listen to us when we change our minds,” Khan said, complaining that the central executive could have introduced these measures before families could make plans and to buy. to celebrate Christmas.
However, the mayor urged Londoners to follow the rules, especially since hospitals in London have the same number of patients with COVID-19 as in the first wave in April.
The streets of central London were very crowded on Saturday, with thousands of people shopping for Christmas.
A NEW FOOT THAT SPREADS EASIER
The United Kingdom has informed the World Trade Organization (WHO) about the emergence of the new variant of coronavirus, although there is no evidence that it can cause more deaths or have an impact on the effectiveness of vaccines already developed.
Scientists have warned that this strain is more infectious and spreads more easily, which could increase R – the number of reproductions of an infectious disease.
R is currently in the UK between 1.1 and 1.2, which implies an “exponential” spread of the virus.
The scientific director of the government, Patrick Vallance, indicated that the strain – known as VUI 202012/01 – could have originated in London or Kent (south-east of England) in September.
“This new option is not only advancing rapidly, but becoming the dominant option,” he added.