British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Saturday a new strict blockade for millions of people across England, just days after he said it would be “inhumane” to cancel Christmas.
The restrictions come after scientists discovered a new variant of coronavirus in the south-east of England, which could be up to 70 percent more transmissible. Announced today, the new strain is moving fast, but scientists say it does not appear to be more deadly.
“There is no evidence to suggest that it is more lethal or causes more severe disease,” Johnson said. Likewise, there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccine will be less effective against the new variant.
However, the prime minister said the government must take urgent action.
“He has a very heavy heart, I have to tell you that we can’t continue Christmas as we planned,” Johnson told a news conference. “I honestly don’t think there’s an open alternative for me.”
The new blockade order will take effect at midnight on Saturday and will cover all of London and much of the south-east of England.
The Johnson administration has placed these areas under the new “Tier 4” restrictions that require people to stay at home, except for essential work, while closing all non-essential business and leisure.
The order will also prohibit families from interfering outside their Christmas households. Instead, socializing will be limited to meeting another person in an outdoor setting.
Households outside level 4 areas will be allowed to see friends and family for one day, Christmas.
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“I know how much emotion people invest in this time of year and how important it is, for example, for grandparents to see their grandchildren, for families to be together,” Johnson said. “We have said throughout this pandemic that we must and will be guided by science. When science changes, we must change our response.”
Just days before news broke of the new strain of coronavirus, Johnson tried to ease coronavirus restrictions for five days during the holiday week and allow up to three families to gather for the holidays. On Wednesday, the prime minister said it would be “sincerely inhuman” to cancel Christmas meetings.
But Johnson’s new restrictions are coming, as the country is already struggling with an increase in the number of cases, in addition to news that the new strain, VUI202012 / 01, could make things worse.
Sir Jeremy Farrar, a member of the Scientific Advisory Group on Emergencies (SAGE), wrote on Twitter on Saturday that the new strain is worrying.
“The new strain of COVID-19 is worrying and is a real cause for further concern and caution. Research is underway to understand more, but urgent action is now essential. There is no part of the UK and the world that “In many countries, the situation is fragile,” he said.
The medical director of England, Chris Witty, informed the World Health Organization about the new strain of virus.
As of Saturday, the United Kingdom had more than 2 million cases of coronavirus and more than 67,100 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.