A bus passes a sign with government-imposed measures against the coronavirus disease outbreak (COVID-19) on the first day of a new imposed blockade in London, Britain, November 5, 2020.
John Sibley | Reuters
LONDON – The UK government outlined plans on Wednesday to impose stricter restrictions on coronavirus on millions of people across England as a new strain of the virus spreads across the country.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said more regions would be placed in the toughest Tier 4 category starting at 12:01 am, London time, on Thursday.
“This new variant is now spreading across most of England and cases are doubling rapidly,” Hancock told the House of Commons. “Therefore, it is necessary to apply Level 4 measures to a wider area, including the remaining parts of the southeast, as well as large parts of the midlands, northwest, northeast and southwest.”
The move will mean that three quarters of the population will be in Tier 4 for the New Year, said Hancock.
The restrictions, which include a “stay at home” order, mean that people should not leave their homes unless they have a reasonable excuse. Businesses, including non-essential stores, gyms and hairdressers are expected to close.
The announcement comes shortly after the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine was authorized for emergency use in the United Kingdom. The vaccine is believed to allow the UK to significantly increase its inoculation program.
“We need to vaccinate as soon as possible, following the necessary safety checks, of course, and the NHS is ready to accelerate large-scale deployment from Monday, January 4,” said Hancock.
He added: “We have a total of 100 million doses ordered, which combined with the Pfizer vaccine is sufficient to vaccinate all adults in the UK with both doses.”
Anyone who wants a vaccine can get it, Hancock said, adding that the UK will have 530,000 doses available starting on Monday, with millions more from Astra-Zeneca in early February.
Government data show that infection rates increased dramatically across England in the past week, with significant pressure on hospitals.
As of Tuesday, 53,135 new Covid cases were reported in the United Kingdom, representing the largest single-day increase since mass testing began.
The new coronavirus variant found in the UK is reportedly more transmissible and has led to travel restrictions for people who wish to leave the country. The new strain, known as SARS-CoV-2 VUI 202012/01 in the scientific community, could be up to 70% more transmissible, said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
US health officials confirmed the first case of the new strain on Wednesday. Several other countries have also identified the variant strain in recent weeks.