UK already has biggest official COVID-19 death toll in Europe (File)
London:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday told people to work from home when possible and ordered bars and restaurants to close early to deal with a second wave of rapidly spreading COVID-19 with restrictions lasting likely six months.
After government scientists warned deaths could increase without urgent action, Johnson halted before another full lockdown, as he did in March, but said further action could be taken if the disease was not repressed.
“We reserve the right to deploy more firepower, with much greater restrictions,” Johnson told parliament following emergency meetings with ministers and leaders of UK decentralized governments.
“We can only prevent it if our new measures work and our behavior changes.”
He said Britain had reached a point just as perilous as countries like Spain and France.
“We will spare no effort to develop vaccines, treatments and new forms of mass testing, but unless we make tangible progress, we should assume that the restrictions I have announced will remain in place for a while. -be six months. “
Just weeks after urging people to return to their workplaces, Johnson advised office workers to stay home if they could. He ordered all pubs, bars, restaurants and other hospitality sites to close at 10 p.m. from Thursday with table service only authorized.
“I’m sorry this is hurting a lot of businesses that are just getting back on their feet,” he said.
Schools and universities will remain open
Face masks will be needed in more contexts, companies breaking the rules will be fined and enforced more strictly against people who do not comply, he said, while the military may be called in. to help free the police.
However, schools and universities will remain open.
Johnson was scheduled to address the nation at 7:00 p.m. GMT.
The additional measures come after government advisers said new cases could reach 50,000 a day by mid-October.
The UK already has the largest official tally of COVID-19 deaths in Europe – 41,788 – as it borrows record amounts to pump emergency money into the damaged economy.
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has warned that the “very unfortunate” escalation of COVID-19 cases is threatening the economic outlook and said the central bank is seriously considering how it could further support the economy.
Advertising operator JD Wetherspoon has said it could cut 400 to 450 jobs at sites at six airports, including Heathrow and Gatwick in London, due to the sharp drop in passenger numbers.
Opposition Leader Keir Starmer urged the government not to end a leave program at the end of October, accusing it of losing control of the coronavirus crisis.
“We will not listen to those who say the virus is ripping, or those who call for a permanent lockdown,” Johnson said.
“We are taking decisive and appropriate action to strike a balance between saving lives and protecting jobs and livelihoods.”
(This story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
