English lockdown stretches

LONDON:BRITISH Prime Minister Boris Johnson indicated yesterday the Covid19 lockdown in England would last until March 8 when schools could start to reopen, as the Government announced new measures to clamp down on travel to and from Britain.

On Wednesday, the UK’s Covid19 death toll surpassed 100,000, the first European state to reach that figure.

England has been in lockdown since the start of January with schools, pubs and restaurants closed and people told to stay home as much as possible. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, whose governments decide on their own measures, are also under various restrictions.

Britain has begun a vaccination programme aimed at delivering shots to 15 million people in priority groups by the middle of February.

Johnson told Parliament he hoped that would allow schools to begin reopening from March 8.

Britain has banned travellers from 22 highrisk nations, where new Covid19 variants have emerged, such as South Africa and some in South America, or may be present, such as Portugal.

Travellers to Britain from those countries who could not be refused entry would now have to quarantine for 10 days in governmentprovided accommodation.

Those wishing to leave Britain will need to explain why in a declaration checked before departure, and vacations will not be an acceptable reason, home secretary Priti Patel said.

In Australia, border restrictions imposed on Greater Sydney residents by Queensland, South Australia and Victoria are being wound back, after New South Wales yesterday recorded an 11th consecutive day without a local

Covid19 case.

It comes after the Queensland government yesterday agreed to allow access to all Greater Sydney residents from Monday.

South Australia will from Sunday reverse its quarantine orders on arrivals from Greater Sydney. However, travellers will need to get tested on arrival and selfisolate until a negative result is received.

Victorian Premier Dan Andrews yesterday also flagged an easing of border restrictions for Greater Sydney; an announcement is expected today. — Reuters/AAP