Concern NHS could be overwhelmed brings lockdown in England

Boris Johnson has ordered a third lockdown in England after medics warned the NHS could be “overwhelmed” in 21 days without action.

Mr Johnson’s decision came just hours after Nicola Sturgeon announced Scotland would also go into lockdown for the rest of Januar y, with a legal requirement to stay at home and schools closed to most pupils until February.

In a hastily arranged televised address, Mr Johnson said the new variant of coronavirus – which is 50-70% more transmissible – wa s spreading in a “frustrating and alarming” manner.

“As I speak to you tonight, our hospitals are under more pressure from Covid than at any time since the start of the pandemic,” he said.

The latest figures showed a further 407 people have died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid-19 as of Monday and there were a record 58,784 more lab-confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK.

The prime minister told the nation that the harshest level of coronavirus restrictions would come back into force immediately and remain in place south of the border until mid-february.

In reality, restrictions are unlikely to be eased until around 13 million people aged over 70 or classed as clinically e xtremely vulnerable have received the vaccine and been given enough time to be protected – a period of about two to three weeks after getting the jab.

Strong stay- at- home messaging will return, with leaving only permitted for limited exceptions such as shopping for necessities including food and medicine.

The public were told to work from home unless it is impossible to do so, such as for critical workers and those in the construction industry.

Exercise will be permitted with household or support bubble members or with one other person from another household, but is advised to be limited to only once per day and carried out locally.

The remaining exceptions to going outside are to seek medical help, provide assistance to a vulnerable person, to receive medical care or to flee a threat of harm.

Non- essential shops will have to close, but early years settings such as nurseries and childminders are allowed to remain open and existing childcare bubbles can stay in place.

Exams will again face disruption as schools close to all those other than for the children of key workers and vulnerable children until after the February half-term.

University students will not be allowed to return to their institutions.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson.