BLOCKING: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announces the order of stay at home that will last at least six weeks to combat the variant COVID-19

LONDON – England faces a third national blockade that will last at least six weeks, as authorities struggle to contain an increase in COVID-19 infections that threatens to overwhelm hospitals across the UK

Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday announced a difficult new home order for England that will not be revised until at least mid-February to combat a rapidly spreading coronavirus variant. It takes effect at midnight on Tuesday. Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon imposed a blockade that started Tuesday.

Johnson and Sturgeon said the blockages were necessary to protect the National Health Service as a new, more contagious variant of COVID-19 scans in Britain. As of Monday, hospitals in England were treating 26,626 patients with coronavirus, 40% more than during the first pandemic peak in April.

Many UK hospitals have already been forced to cancel elective surgery, and the tension of the pandemic may soon delay cancer surgery and limit intensive care services for patients without COVID-19, said Professor Neil Mortenson, president of Royal College of Surgeons, Times Radio. .

“Over the weekend, we talked about a slow motion car accident, but I think it’s getting a lot worse than it is now,” he said.

From Tuesday, primary and secondary schools and colleges in England will be closed for face-to-face learning, except for the children of senior officials and vulnerable students. College students will not return until at least mid-February. People were instructed to work from home, unless it is impossible, and to leave the house only for essential trips.

All non-essential stores and personal care services, such as hairdressers, will be closed and restaurants can only serve take-out food.

Britain reported more than 75,500 virus-related deaths, one of the highest counts in Europe.