The prime minister has been under growing pressure to introduce stricter measures to get a grip on the country’s spiralling covid cases
A new national lockdown is expected to be announced by prime minister Boris Johnson this evening.
The PM will address the nation at 8pm and is expected to announce nation-wide measures similar to those we saw at the beginning of the pandemic. Schools are likely to be shut and people asked to stay at home, only going outside for a limited number of reasons.
ITV’s Robert Peston tweeted the news earlier.
PM is addressing nation at 8 tonight. Parliament to be recalled Wednesday. Tough national lockdown to be announced
— Robert Peston (@Peston) January 4, 2021
First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon has already announced that the country will go into a national lockdown from midnight tonight. Wales is already at alert level 4, which requires all residents to stay at home. Northern Ireland went into a six-week national lockdown on Boxing Day last year.
Most of England is already under tier 4 restrictions, with all non-essential shops closed, and pubs and restaurants only able to offer takeaway services. Schools have also largely remained open, but are likely to close under new restrictions, with students moving to online learning.
Covid cases in the UK have risen dramatically, with nearly 55,000 new cases registered yesterday, bringing the total to 2.65 million. Over 75,000 have now died with coronavirus in the UK.
