Boris set to tell millions of Brits to stay HOME for Christmas
New Tier 4 lockdown likely to be announced for London and the South East
Last updated 19th Dec 2020
Boris Johnson could be about to cancel Christmas for millions of people as he looks likely to announce new tougher coronavirus restrictions in London and the South East just days before Christmas.
UPDATE: Boris Johnson has now announced more restrictions for Christmas and a new Tier 4 for the South East
The Prime Minister is holding emergency talks with Cabinet ministers as scientists confirmed that the new variant coronavirus was spreading more rapidly.
There are reports that the Prime Minister is set to announce a new Tier 4, with tighter restrictions for London and the South East, while cutting back on the planned relaxation of the rules over Christmas.
New coronavirus strain could spread more quickly
The chief medical officer for England Professor Chris Whitty said the UK had now informed the World Health Organisation that it had concluded the mutant strain could spread more quickly.
“As announced on Monday, the UK has identified a new variant of Covid-19 through Public Health England’s genomic surveillance,” he said in a statement.
“As a result of the rapid spread of the new variant, preliminary modelling data and rapidly rising incidence rates in the South East, the New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (NERVTAG) now consider that the new strain can spread more quickly.
“There is no current evidence to suggest the new strain causes a higher mortality rate or that it affects vaccines and treatments although urgent work is under way to confirm this.
Politicians across all nations meet to discuss Covid
Following the lunchtime conference call with ministers, Mr Johnson will hold a press conference with Prof Whitty and the Government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance at 4pm.
In Scotland, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said she would be chairing a meeting of her cabinet to discuss the emerging evidence on new variant.
The latest development comes after Mr Johnson refused to rule out a third national lockdown for England – a move he has previously been deeply reluctant to contemplate.
Wales and Northern Ireland have already announced fresh lockdowns once Christmas is over while the Scottish Government has said the option “remains on the table”.
Much of the the latest focus is on the South and East of England where the new variant is thought to be most prevalent.
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