LONDON: In the wake of the escalation of the COVID-19 spread, Britain is heading towards tighter restrictions. The UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced stricter COVID-19 restrictions in London, the Southeast and East England.
All non-essential shops, gyms and hairdressers will be closed in the UK as part of the new Tier 4 restrictions. The Prime Minister said that the easing of restrictions should not be misused and that people should stay at home. He also advised people not to enter or leave Tier 4 areas.
Strict restrictions will be imposed from today until December 30 in the wake of the COVID-19 spread.
At the same time, the government’s new regulations are a setback for Irish people living in London and elsewhere. The British government announced the new restrictions as hundreds of people were about to return home to celebrate Christmas.
PM Boris Johnson has said that the spread of the virus is likely to pick up again during the Christmas season. People in Tier 4 areas are asked not to mix with other households. At the same time, people from other parts of the country will only be allowed to meet up with two other households.
“Yes, Christmas this year will be different, very different but we must be realistic. We’re sacrificing the chance to see our loved ones. This Christmas. So we have a better chance of protecting their lives, so that we can see them in future Christmases. And as sure as night follows day. We’ll beat back this virus, we’ll defeat it and reclaim our lives,” Boris Johnson said.
Johnson made it clear that strict Christmas restrictions would help bring people together in the New Year and not give up hope.
The decision to impose stricter restrictions in the country came after talks between the Prime Minister and other ministers, after scientists confirmed that a new strain of Coronavirus was spreading rapidly in the country.
The new variant has been found to be spreading rapidly in the south and east of Britain. According to the latest figures from the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage), the R number for the UK has risen between 1.1 and 1.2. It also indicates the rapid spread of the disease in the country.
Meanwhile in Britain, 339 new deaths have been reported. This brings the total number of confirmed deaths in hospitals in the country to 46,122.