The Prime Minister has announced London and South East England will enter a new Tier 4 level of restrictions from a minute after midnight tonight. “We cannot continue with Christmas as planned,” the PM said as he addressed the nation from Downing Street alongside Prof Chris Whitty and Sir Patrick Vallance.
People cannot travel into a tier four area, or mix with anyone outside their own household, apart from existing support bubbles. The restrictions will last for two weeks and will be reviewed on 30 December.
The thrust of the justification for the new measures is on the mutation of the coronavirus and it driving hospital admissions faster than previously seen. Prof Chris Whitty highlighted there has been a “dramatic increase” in the proportion of cases that come from the new variant in certain areas.
He added that the places with the new variant mutation have had steeper increases in hospitalisations, a 36% increase in East England, 34% in London, and 28% in South East England.
Sir Patrick Vallance speaking of the new variance said: “We think it may be in other countries as well. We think there’s a large outbreak in the UK, it may have started here, we don’t know for sure.”
As we were going to press: Wales will go into full lockdown from midnight with any relaxation of rules planned for the festive season cancelled for all but Christmas Day. Like Boris Johnson, First Minister Mark Drakeford made the announcement after urgent talks with ministers over a new variant of coronavirus.
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Not being allowed to be hospitable at Christmas, a personal perspective from Stuart Procter
Hospitality & Catering News: London and SE England placed in Tier 4 from midnight – 19 December 2020 – London and SE England placed in Tier 4 from midnight .
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