Q&A

How come I can go into busy shops but not pubs, and is the virus now more deadly?

QWhy can’t I go to a pub, but I can walk around in a busy shopping centre?

ADespite yesterday’s tier 4 announcement, millions remain under tier 3 restrictions, with pubs and restaurants only permitted to serve take-aways.

But under the tier 3 rules , shops are still able to remain open.

In fact, the Government has ruled that all non-essential shops in tiers 1, 2 and 3 can stay open for 24-hours during the Christmas period, in an attempt to make up for sales lost earlier in the year.

So why is this any safer than going to the pub?

Dr Julian Tang, consultant virologist at the University of Leicester, says any place where people are crowded together risks spreading the disease. But there are greater risks attached to pubs and restaurants.

‘If people are sitting closely indoors for a long period of time, and talking without face masks, it maximises the amount of spit droplets that are transferred between people, potentially spreading infection.’

Studies have also shown that when people are drinking alcohol, they are less likely to follow Covid-19 safety precautions, such as avoiding very close contact.

As shopping centres typically have high ceilings and a good ventilation systems, there’s more chance infected particles will be carried through the air away from you.

And most shoppers will be passing others quickly, or talking to friends while walking next to each other, rather than directly opposite.

While both scenarios are risky, shopping is less-so – and is an important asset to the British economy.

Q Has the virus mutated into a more deadly strain? A On

Tuesday, Health Secretary Matt Hancock announced that a new variant of coronavirus had been discovered. And last night, the stricter restrictions were put into place in London and the

South East because of this strain which scientists believe is driving a spate of increased transmission.

New variations of common viruses are not uncommon. In fact, even with Covid-19, this has happened before.

Over the summer a new variant coined the ‘Spanish strain’ was identified, supposedly brought in by British travellers returning from holiday.

The ‘Spanish strain’ was no more infectious nor deadly. Experts say there is so far no evidence to suggest the new variation is more deadly, although it is believed to be more infectious.

Prior to last night’s announcement, Professor Alan McNally, an expert at the University of Birmingham urged Britons not to be ‘hysterical’.

‘It doesn’t mean it’s more dangerous. It is something to keep an eye on,’ he said.

QWill we have another lockdown in January?

AAsked about the prospect of a postChristmas lockdown on Thursday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: ‘We’re hoping very much that we will be able to avoid anything like that.’

Yet, he followed this with a note of caution: ‘The reality is infections have increased very much in the last few weeks.’

The following day, when the same question was put to Schools Minister Nick Gibbs, he replied: ‘We rule nothing out.’

It’s perhaps not surprising if you consider the current figures. Wales has already announced a nationwide lockdown, beginning on December 28, in response to a spike in cases. Many schools in London have been forced to shut early for the holidays due to an uptick in infections in ten-to-19-year-olds.

And according to NHS figures from last week, hospitals across England are now running out of beds.

Last week, hospitals had to tell ambulance crews to divert patients to facilities elsewhere 44 times – said to be the highest number in four years.