Scotland announced on Monday that it is implementing a new coronavirus blockade, as British Prime Minister Boris Johnson must announce its own “next steps” to combat the spread of the disease.
The measures in Scotland – which will start on Tuesday and will remain in effect at least until the end of this month – ask residents to only travel outside their homes for essential purposes and limit the size of outdoor meetings to two people from different families including children. Schools will also remain closed to face-to-face learning for most students.
“It is no exaggeration to say that I am more concerned with the situation we face now than at any time since March last year,” said Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson watches nurse Jennifer Dumasi being injected with the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine during a visit to see the vaccination program at Chase Farm Hospital in north London on Monday. (AP)
UK PRIME MINISTER, BORIS JOHNSON WARNS CORONAVIRUS TOUGHER MEASURES TO OCCUR WITH A NEW VARIANT
“It is essential that we further limit the interaction between different families to contain the spread and bring the situation back to control, while vaccinating more people,” she added.
Scotland, which has its own delegated government, often imposed stricter coronavirus restrictions than those in England during the pandemic.
Meanwhile, Johnson is expected to deliver a prime-time speech in England, in which he will outline “additional steps” to stem the spread of COVID-19, his office says.
“The spread of the new variant of COVID-19 led to a rapid escalation in the number of cases across the country,” a spokesman for Johnson told Sky News. “The Prime Minister is clear that new measures must now be taken to halt this increase, protect the National Health Service and save lives.”
Johnson said on Monday that “there is no doubt that we will have to take tougher action”.
The UK has so far registered 2.65 million coronavirus infections – 54,990 of which were reported on Sunday, according to statistics from Johns Hopkins University.
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The United Kingdom also on Monday became the first country in the world to start administering the AstraZeneca and University of Oxford coronavirus vaccine after emergency clearance last week.
The first vaccine was for dialysis patient Brian Pinker, 82, of Oxford University Hospital, according to a statement from NHS England. Pinker said the vaccination brought peace of mind, as he hopes to celebrate his 48th wedding anniversary with his wife Shirley in February.
Fox News’s Kayla Rivas contributed to this report.