Boris Johnson announces new restrictions for London on Saturday in Downing Street Toby Melville / AP
About 18 million people in the United Kingdom have seen their Christmas plans canceled at a stroke on Saturday, three days after the Boris Johnson Government had confirmed that social restrictions would be relaxed for five days.
Downing Street has confirmed - and communicated to the World Health Organization - that the new strain of the virus detected in London and in parts of the south and southeast of England has a higher transmission capacity (up to 70% more than the previous strain) and, therefore, infections occur more quickly.
According to the latest data collected, up to 62% of the new infections registered in the British capital respond to the new variant, which has become the dominant one.
Boris Johnson, accompanied this Saturday in an extraordinary appearance by the main medical advisers of the Government, has explained that the data collected does not lead to the conclusion that the variant produces more serious symptoms of the disease, or greater mortality.
Pending new tests, the Executive's scientific advisory team continues to trust that the vaccines will be effective with this new type of virus.
In any case, the prime minister has warned, the new data have forced a change in criteria and toughen social restriction measures in the affected areas.
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London and various areas of the south and southeast of England (especially the counties of Kent, Surrey, Portsmout and Hastings) will go from first hour of this Sunday to Level 4. It is a new step, higher than the three already existing, and that in practice means imposing in that area of the United Kingdom the confinement imposed throughout the country last November.
Christmas family reunions are canceled.
The Government had allowed, from December 24 to 27, that people from up to three different coexistence groups could meet for lunch or dinner.
It will no longer be possible.
Johnson has announced that, until further review, meetings between different households will be prohibited.
Non-essential shops, restaurants, bars and
pubs
must close their doors, as well as gyms, museums, art galleries, theaters and cinemas.
The "rule of six", whereby up to six people could meet outdoors, is also overridden.
Areas of England that remain at lower alert levels will be able to hold their family reunions, but not for five days anymore but only for December 25, Christmas Day.
"With the latest events detected, it is now more vital than ever that citizens continue to behave in their areas of residence in a way that helps reduce transmissions," Chris Whitty, Johnson's government chief medical adviser, has asked the public. .
Travel abroad will be prohibited for all those residents in Level 4 areas, unless they are made for work reasons.
“We are deeply sorry for this whole situation,” Johnson said, “but when the facts change, you must change your strategy.
If the virus changes its attack strategy, you must change your defense method ”.
Johnson convened several of his ministers and the government's committee of scientific advisers on Friday afternoon to discuss the latest outbreak of coronavirus, which has registered figures of up to 534 daily deaths.
During the past week, more than 170,000 people tested positive across the country.
On Saturday morning, the prime minister has reconvened his entire Cabinet before publicly announcing the drastic measures.
The London ICUs have already reached their full capacity.
On the other hand, all non-essential appointments and interventions have been canceled.
The leader of the Labor opposition, Keir Starmer, has immediately announced his support for the new measures announced by the Johnson government, but without sparing criticism of the prime minister, who is always dedicated, he said, "to get out of the way in any challenge "and" refuses to see the problems. "
Starmer recalled that he asked Johnson last Wednesday to rethink the relaxation planned for the Christmas season, and that his rival's response was to wish all citizens a happy Christmas.
This Saturday's decision is a serious blow to London businesses, which still hoped to compensate in the Christmas season for all the losses suffered during the pandemic.
The British Minister of the Economy, Rishi Sunak, already announced during the week his plans to extend the
Job Retentions Scheme
until April
, a support system not tested so far in the United Kingdom, very similar to the Spanish ERTE.
“We are facing a new and very hard blow to Londoners and businesses in the capital, after a year that has already been horrible,” said Jasmine Whitbread, the president of the London business association, London First.
“The Government must prepare to inject extra support to all these companies so that they can continue to operate normally.
And that includes tax cuts - especially VAT - and direct aid to support all those who are forced to close, "he asked.
The Home Rule Government of Scotland has confirmed the appearance in its territory of at least 17 cases of the new strain of the virus.
Although their situation is much less burdensome than that of the rest of the United Kingdom, the Scottish chief minister, Nicola Sturgeon, announced this Saturday that travel from Scotland to England or Wales, and vice versa, will be prohibited.
Sturgeon will also reduce family gatherings exclusively to Christmas Day.
Information about the coronavirus
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- Guide to action against the disease