Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon said on Monday that Scotland would enter a month-long blockade starting at midnight, as a highly infectious variant of COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly across the UK .
Why it matters: Sturgeon warned that the rise in infections is putting “significant pressure” on the National Health Service and that hospitals could reach maximum capacity in three to four weeks. As a result, people must legally stay at home and work from home, when possible.
What they are saying: “I am now more concerned with the situation than ever since March,” said Sturgeon.
The big picture: The new variant was found to have a greater degree of transmissibility, but “there is no evidence to suggest that the variant has any impact on disease severity or vaccine effectiveness,” according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).