London lockdown as new virus strain found
More than 11 million people in England will be plunged into the harshest tier of restrictions from Tuesday night, local time, after scientists identified a new mutant strain of coronavirus possibly responsible for a rise in infections.
From midnight, London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire will enter Tier 3, meaning pubs, restaurants and theatres must close.
It means 34 million people in England will be in Tier 3.
Matt Hancock, the Health Secretary, said the new strain was more contagious, causing an ‘‘exponential’’ rise in infections in the South East, leaving ministers with no option but to take ‘‘swift, decisive action’’ three days before a review of the current tiers.
He said more than 1000 cases of the new variant had been identified in nearly 60 different local authority areas – ‘‘and the numbers are increasing rapidly’’. It led to more local authorities in London announcing school closures.
Meanwhile, scientists at the Government’s Porton Down laboratory were urgently cultivating the new strain to test its resistance to vaccines, though Hancock said there was no evidence to suggest that might be the case.
Hospitality bosses warned the move would cost 150,000 jobs in the capital as pubs and restaurants faced losing £2.6 billion (NZ$4.9b) over the next two weeks. Theatres will also close, just days after they reopened, and football fans expecting to go to Premier League matches in London will be turned away.
Christmas shoppers have been told to avoid going into London from lower tier areas and even those living there should ‘‘minimise travel unless it is necessary’’.
Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, faced urgent demands for more economic support for businesses worst affected.
At a Downing Street press conference yesterday Hancock’s insistence that ‘‘we do not rule out further action’’ led to speculation that a Christmas relaxation of tier rules may be scaled back, but a government source said: ‘‘There are no plans to change the Christmas rules.’’
But Hancock and Chris Whitty, the Chief Medical Officer, urged restraint in decisions on whether to visit relatives over Christmas. Hancock said anyone visiting elderly friends or family should ‘‘be extremely careful about who you see’’ in the meantime.
Whitty said the new strain of the virus was discovered when scientists ‘‘went to look to see if there was anything going on’’, after a spike in cases in Kent.