By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.
Accept
Okay.ngOkay.ng
  • News
    • Politics
    NewsShow More
    Okadigbo not appointed as our spokesperson — Labour Party
    August 13, 2022
    Three siblings die in Kano building collapse
    August 13, 2022
    NNPC Ltd, PSC Contractors resolve age-long disputes, renew PSC leases
    August 13, 2022
    Police dismiss Corporal Opeyemi Kadiri for illegally checking commuter’s phone in viral video
    August 13, 2022
    BUA Group’s growth evidence of correctness of our policies – Buhari
    August 12, 2022
  • Entertainment
    EntertainmentShow More
    Kizz Daniel
    Kizz Daniel announces free show for Tanzanian fans, tenders apology
    August 10, 2022
    2Baba
    2Baba pens public apology to wife, children, mother, others
    August 9, 2022
    Kizz Daniel
    Kizz Daniel regains freedom after arrest in Tanzania
    August 8, 2022
    Ecobank Nigeria announces plans to host exhibition to celebrate World Photography Day
    August 8, 2022
    Kizz Daniel
    Tanzanian police arrest Kizz Daniel
    August 8, 2022
  • Business & Economy
    Business & EconomyShow More
    NNPC Ltd, PSC Contractors resolve age-long disputes, renew PSC leases
    August 13, 2022
    Buhari makes u-turn on Seplat-ExonnMobil shares deal
    August 11, 2022
    Polaris Bank not sold, all banks safe – NDIC boss
    August 10, 2022
    Muhammadu Buhari
    Buhari gives approval for Seplat to acquire Exxon Mobil shares
    August 8, 2022
    Stanbic IBTC
    Stanbic IBTC partners Bento Africa to offer value added services to Nigerian businesses
    August 3, 2022
  • Sport
    SportShow More
    Brentford thrash Man United four nill as Ten Hag’s woes continue
    August 13, 2022
    Ballon d’Or: Messi snubbed in 30-man shortlist
    August 13, 2022
    Women’s Ballon d’Or: Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala nominated
    August 13, 2022
    UEFA Super Cup: Real Madrid defeat Eintracht Frankfurt to win trophy
    August 11, 2022
    Manchester City and France footballer Benjamin Mendy (R) arrives to Chester Crown Court in northwest England on August 10, 2022 at the start of his trial for the alleged rape and assault of seven women. Mendy, 28, who faces eight counts of rape, one count of sexual assault and one count of attempted rape, relating to seven young women, could see his playing career end in jail if convicted. (Photo by Lindsey Parnaby / AFP)
    Manchester City’s Mendy goes on trial for rape and sexual assault
    August 10, 2022
  • Tech
    TechShow More
    Tech companies making a difference in Africa
    August 9, 2022
    WhatsApp announces new privacy features, users can now hide online presence
    August 9, 2022
    NCC-CSIRT flags ‘HiddenAds’ Malware that Jeopardizes Users’ privacy
    August 8, 2022
    L-R: Mr. Kunle Olorundare,, Principal Manager, Technical Standard and Network Integrity, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC); Ms. Mistura Aruna, Head, Consumer Information and Education, NCC; Chief, Ademola Odunade, the Ayingun Olubadan of Ibadanland; Prof Adewolu Akande, Chairman, Board of Commissioners, NCC; Mr. Efosa Idehen, Director, Consumer Affairs Bureau, NCC and Mr. Akanbi Akinwale, Principal Manager, Ibadan Zonal Office NCC, during the 3rd Village Square Dialogue with telecom consumers held in Ibadan recently.
    Olubadan backs clamour for telecom infrastructure protection
    August 8, 2022
    5 facts about the Metaverse you need to know
    August 4, 2022
Reading: Coronavirus: UK govt announces fresh four-week national lockdown
Share
Aa
Okay.ngOkay.ng
Aa
  • News
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Search
  • News
    • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Business & Economy
  • Sport
  • Tech
Follow US
  • About Okay.ng
  • Advertising on Okay.ng
  • Contact Okay.ng
  • Okay.ng on WhatsApp
  • Careers
  • Submit News to Okay.ng
© OKN MEDIA PUBLISHING 2022 - All rights reserved
Okay.ng > News > Coronavirus: UK govt announces fresh four-week national lockdown
News

Coronavirus: UK govt announces fresh four-week national lockdown

Agency Report with Okay.ng By Agency Report with Okay.ng Published October 31, 2020
Share
6 Min Read
Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson
SHARE

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday announced a new four-week coronavirus lockdown across England, a dramatic shift in strategy following warnings hospitals would become overwhelmed within weeks under his current system of localised restrictions.

Under the stringent new rules set to come into force from Thursday, people must stay at home except in cases where exemptions apply, such as for work, education or exercise, while all but essential shops will close.

In contrast to the months-long UK-wide lockdown earlier this year, schools, colleges and universities will remain open.

But pubs and restaurants will shut unless serving takeaway food, while all leisure and entertainment venues and non-essential shops will close.

The restrictions are planned to end on December 2.

“Now is the time to take action because there’s no alternative,” Johnson said at a Downing Street news conference after convening his Cabinet earlier in the day to sign off on the plan.

“We have got to be humble in the face of nature. In this country, alas, as in much of Europe, the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers,” he added.

The British premier will set out the new measures, which include extending a financial support scheme to help businesses pay furloughed employees for an additional month to December, to parliament on Monday.

Lawmakers will then vote on them on Wednesday.

The ramped-up response came as Britain surpassed one million cases during the global pandemic, after announcing nearly 22,000 new infections on Saturday, and virus hospitalisations climbed by 1,239, the highest daily tally since late April.

The government’s scientific advisors have warned that Covid-19’s prevalence, and resulting hospitalisations and deaths, are rising faster than their most dire predictions.

Flanking Johnson at the announcement, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said that under the current trajectory hospital intensive care units and ventilator capacity could be overwhelmed by early December.

Chief Scientific Adviser Patrick Vallance said there was the potential for twice as many deaths as during the first wave of the pandemic.

– ‘No apologies’ –

Britain is already among the hardest-hit countries in Europe, with the total Covid-19 related deaths nearing 47,000, after another 326 fatalities were announced.

Some European countries and the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have already reimposed partial lockdowns to try to cut their surging rates.

Johnson’s government, which is responsible for health policy in England only, had resisted the move, fearing the economic fallout.

Instead it has persevered with a localised response system that relies on three tiers of Covid-19 alert.

Only at the highest level, imposed in recent weeks on a number of regions and cities in northern and central England, are pubs and bars closed and indoor socialising banned.

Last month, the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) recommended a two-week national “circuit-breaker” lockdown over the half-term school holidays this past week, but Johnson rejected the move.

Johnson defended the policy on Saturday, adding: “It’s true that the course of the pandemic has changed and it’s right that the government should change and modulate its response in accordance, and I make absolutely no apologies for that.”

– ‘Very difficult choices’ –

But his critics say that delaying the decision has resulted in the need for an even longer lockdown now.

“Government delay has cost both lives and livelihoods,” London mayor Sadiq Khan, of the main opposition Labour party, wrote on Twitter.

The British premier has also faced stiff opposition to another shutdown from within his own ruling Conservative party, from right-wing newspapers and also scientists and doctors who believe that lockdowns do not work and are too damaging.

One Tory MP, Steve Baker, met Johnson in Downing Street Saturday and afterwards conceded his boss faced “very difficult choices”.

Earlier this year, Johnson — who contracted Covid and was treated in intensive care — was criticised for a slow response to the outbreak, delaying locking down Britain even as the number of positive cases and deaths spiralled across Europe.

He eventually imposed a national lockdown in late March, shutting all non-essential shops and schools, and forcing millions to work from home to cut transmission rates.

The stay-at-home measures were lifted in June as cases dwindled, with Johnson declaring in July the country could see “a more significant return to normality from November… possibly in time for Christmas”.

TAGGED: Boris Johnson, uk
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
What do you think?
Happy0
Love0
Sad0
Angry0
Joy0
Surprise0

Connect with Okay on Social

Facebook Like
Twitter Follow
Instagram Follow
Telegram Follow
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image
- Advertisement -
Ad image
- Advertisement -
Ad imageAd image

Recent Posts

Brentford thrash Man United four nill as Ten Hag’s woes continue
Okadigbo not appointed as our spokesperson — Labour Party
Three siblings die in Kano building collapse
Ballon d’Or: Messi snubbed in 30-man shortlist
Women’s Ballon d’Or: Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala nominated

You Might Also Like

Politics

Okadigbo not appointed as our spokesperson — Labour Party

August 13, 2022
News

Three siblings die in Kano building collapse

August 13, 2022
Business

NNPC Ltd, PSC Contractors resolve age-long disputes, renew PSC leases

August 13, 2022
News

Police dismiss Corporal Opeyemi Kadiri for illegally checking commuter’s phone in viral video

August 13, 2022
Previous Next
Okay.ngOkay.ng
Follow US

© OKN MEDIA PUBLISHING 2022 - All rights reserved

  • About Okay.ng
  • Advertising on Okay.ng
  • Contact Okay.ng
  • Okay.ng on WhatsApp
  • Careers
  • Submit News to Okay.ng
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?