PM Announces England Lockdown

After Prime Minister Boris Johnson met with his cabinet to discuss the countries safety measures, it was announced to the public that a second national lockdown is in place.

Many of the PM's advisers, including his ministers, have pointed out the need for a second lockdown. Conversations in September hoped that a national action should be taken to curb the effects of the second wave of the pandemic.

A limited lockdown was considered a nuclear option that should be avoided by the government. But the tune has changed this week with the PM pointing out the necessity of the lockdown to prevent a medical and moral disaster.

Mr Johnson said that no responsible prime minister could ignore the figures suggesting that death tolls would eventually reach 'several thousand a day.' The expected mortality would be far worse than what the country had witnessed in April.

He fears that even the hospitals with the lowest-cases will eventually run out of capacity in weeks.

"Doctors and nurses would be forced to choose which patients to treat, who would get oxygen and who wouldn't, who would live and who would die," Mr Johnson said.

Christmas may be understandably different, but the PM hopes that this action now would mean that families can gather soon enough.

Mr Johnson said: "Christmas is going to be different this year, perhaps very different, but it's my sincere hope and belief that by taking tough action now we can allow families across the country to be together."

This movement on lockdown restrictions means that businesses such as pubs, restaurants, gyms, and non-essential shops will have to close for four weeks. Takeaways and deliveries may continue operations. The lockdown will take effect on Thursday.

The restrictions do not apply to schools, colleges, and universities as they are still permitted to open. Hoping for the effectivity of this move, restrictions will be eased on December 2, and specific regions can revert to the tiered system.

The PM is strongly aware of the ill-effects the new lockdown measures will do to businesses, saying: "I'm under no illusions about how difficult this will be for businesses which have already had to endure such hardship this year and I'm truly, truly sorry for that."

The original furlough scheme, that covered 80% of the wages of workers temporarily laid off, will be extended throughout November.

The BBC shares the following policies that must be observed under the new restrictions:

·     People are being told to stay at home unless they have a specific reason to leave, such as work which cannot be done from home and education

·     And people are also allowed to leave home for exercise medical reasons, food and other essential shopping and providing care for vulnerable people or volunteering

·     Meeting indoors or in private gardens will not be allowed

·     But individuals can meet one other person from another household outside in a public place

·     Pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential retail across the nation will close but takeaways and click-and-collect shopping can remain open

·     Leisure and entertainment venues, including gyms, will also close

·     Construction sites and manufacturing workplaces can remain open

·     People are still allowed to form support bubbles

·     Children can move between homes if their parents are separated

·     Clinically vulnerable people are asked to be "especially careful" but people are not being asked to resume shielding