As COVID-19 cases in the UK accelerate higher Prime Minister Johnson will soon announce another shutdown. The measures will take effect from Thursday after a vote in the Commons on Wednesday.
The main points, these via various UK media outlets with the info:
- pubs and restaurants to close - takeaway and delivery only
- non-essential retail to close
- manufacturing, construction permitted to continue
- outbound international travel banned, intra-UK travel restrictions (both except for work)
- schools, universities open
- outdoor exercise and recreation permitted
- no church services
A month-long lockdown of this nature will slow the spread of the virus but given the experience in Melbourne (Australia) a meaningful flattening of the curve would take longer and the measures would have to be even more restrictive. What Johnson's measures should perhaps do though is relieve some of the pressure on the UK healthcare system for a time, which is a positive.
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Latest UK number (for Saturday)
- just under 22,000 new confirmed cases (24,400 Friday)
- 326 deaths (274 on Friday)
Johnson's press conference expected at 1700GMT. The new lock down was more or less inevitable given the rocketing number of infections and the approaches taken in Germany and France.
