UK ‘slows down’ reopening as coronavirus cases rise. (Representative)
London:
Britain on Friday “put the brakes on” the easing of lockdown measures and imposed new rules on millions of households in the north of England, amid concerns of a spike in coronavirus infections.
The reopening of high-risk activities such as casinos, bowling alleys and ice rinks, which was scheduled to start on Saturday, will be postponed until at least August 15, as will the reintroduction of indoor shows and pilot projects with larger crowds during the event. sporting events. , Boris Johnson announced.
“I said that our plan to reopen society and the economy was conditional … that we would not hesitate to brake if necessary. Our assessment is that we should now step on that brake pedal,” he said. said the Prime Minister in a Downing Street Report.
Johnson, who earlier this week warned of a “second wave” of cases in Europe, added that Britain “cannot be satisfied” with the rise in the number of infections.
– Increase in new infections –
His announcement came hours after the government increased regional foreclosure measures – under which people from different households are banned from meeting indoors – for some four million people in Greater Manchester and parts of it. from Lancashire and Yorkshire.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the restrictions were being introduced because people were “getting together and not respecting social distancing.”
“We are taking this action with a heavy heart, but we can see increasing rates of COVID across Europe and we are determined to do whatever is necessary to keep people safe,” Hancock said on Twitter.
Government data released Friday showed that there was “evidence that the incidence of new infections has increased in recent weeks” in England.
However, Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty said: “I don’t think it is helpful” to speak of a second wave sweeping through Europe again.
The local measures went into effect at midnight (11 p.m. GMT Thursday), just hours after they were announced.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester, has supported the measures due to an increase in infections.
“The situation in Greater Manchester has changed over the past seven days,” he told the BBC.
“We have an increase in nine out of ten boroughs, the reality on the ground is changing.”
– Scots should avoid Manchester –
But the new measures have been criticized by the opposition Labor Party for being announced late at night.
Labor leader Keir Starmer said on Twitter: “The announcement of measures potentially affecting millions of people late at night on Twitter is a new low for government communications during this crisis.”
They also come into effect just as the celebrations for the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha begin. The areas affected by the latest lockdown have large Muslim populations.
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has warned her citizens against displacement in affected areas.
“To … minimize the risk of onward transmission here, @scotgov STRONGLY advises against non-essential travel between Scotland and these areas of northern England,” she wrote on Twitter.
This is not the first local lockdown to be put in place – England has lifted most of its nationwide restrictions but imposed store closures around the central city of Leicester at the end of June.
Hancock said Leicester would now follow the same ban on reunification between different households applied in Manchester and parts of West Yorkshire and East Lancashire.
Britain’s official virus death toll stands at 45,999, but it is believed to reach 65,000 if excess deaths are used as a guide.
(This story was not edited by GalacticGaming staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
