Could there be a nationwide England lockdown? What Boris Johnson might announce tonight
A new nationwide lockdown in England could be possible, as Boris Johnson prepares to make a televised address tonight.
The Prime Minister will speak to the nation at 8pm on Monday 4 January and is expected to take further steps to tackle the surge in coronavirus cases in the country.
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Hide AdIt comes as Nicola Sturgeon announced that mainland Scotland would enter a fresh lockdown from midnight on Monday, with schools staying closed until February.
Here’s everything you need to know about a possible England lockdown.
Will there be another national lockdown?
Boris Johnson will set out plans for England on Monday (4 January) night, as the new strain of coronavirus, thought to be up to 70 per cent more transmissible, continues to cause an exponential rise in cases.
The House of Commons will also be recalled on Wednesday, so MPs can vote on any new measures.
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Hide AdThe Prime Minister previously said on Monday 4 January that there was “no question” that the UK Government would announce stricter measures for England.
And as Scotland has already introduced tighter lockdown restrictions, it seems likely that England could follow suit.
Both Wales and Northern Ireland are already under lockdown.
A No 10 spokesman said: "The prime minister is clear that further steps must now be taken to arrest this rise and to protect the NHS and save lives.
"He will set those out this evening."
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called for a national lockdown in England within 24 hours on Sunday 3 January.
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Hide AdHe said: "I hope the prime minister has been listening to the clear calls for tough national restrictions."
Top scientists suggested before the new year that the tier system was not enough to control the virus, saying a national approach may be more effective when it comes to tackling the new strain.
Andrew Hayward, a member of the government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) told the Guardian: "Personally, I think it’s clearer to give a consistent national message because although the levels of risk are different in different parts of the country, they’re still there and they’re still substantial.”
Epidemiologist Professor John Edmunds, also a member of Sage scientific, told the BBC that tougher lockdown restrictions would be needed to tackle the new variant.
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Hide AdHe said: “It depends now on how effective these measures are and how widespread the virus is. Unfortunately, it does look like the virus is probably across the country already and so I do think that we might unfortunately have to impose tougher restrictions across the country.”
What are the other UK nations doing?
In Scotland, the First Minister announced that most of the country will enter a new lockdown from midnight on Monday 4 January.
Scots will be legally required to stay at home for the duration of January, under restrictions similar to the first lockdown in March.
Schools will remain closed until February as part of the measures, which are an attempt to curb the spread of the new coronavirus strain.
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Hide AdIn an emergency statement to Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon said the cabinet met on Monday (4 January) morning to reassess the current Covid situation.
The fresh restrictions will be “much closer” to the lockdown in March, as the current Level 4 measures which mainland Scotland is under “may not be sufficient” to bring the R number back down below one.
Island authorities in Scotland will remain in Level 3, while there will be additional Level 4 restrictions for everywhere else, including Skye.
The new rules will be in place for the whole of January - but Ms Sturgeon did not rule out keeping them in place for longer.
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Hide AdWales has said its third national lockdown - otherwise known as Alert Level 4 - will be reviewed after three weeks.
Northern Ireland also decided to enforce another lockdown which began on Boxing Day and will last for six weeks.
The measures in the nation are similar to the “sustained” lockdown which was implemented back in March.