By Ben Kerrigan-
Boris Johnson has has announced a national lockdown until February, following pressure from scientists and Labour leader, Keir Starmer
Under the rules of the lockdown, all schools and colleges will close to most pupils and switch to remote learning until the middle of February.
The Prime Minister urged people to follow the rules immediately amid surging cases and patient numbers. Mr Johnson’s statement came following the UK chief medical officers recommendation that the Covid threat level be increased to five – its highest level. The prime minister also announced that all schools will close and that summer exams would not take place this year.
In an attempt to appease the British public, the prime minister said the end is in sight, as he hailed the rolling of the vaccine as the answer to the crises.
The lockdown follows a 50% rise in the number of patients in hospital with Covid since Christmas day. Hospitals across the Uk say they are overwhelmed with cases of patients with underlying issues.
Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Johnson said the weeks ahead would be the “hardest yet”. Johnson explained the new variant as the reason for the new lockdown. He said the new variant was 70% transferable,
He also said he believed the country was entering “the last phase of the struggle”, something he has said before.
The prime minister also announced that all schools will close and that summer exams would not take place this year.
Lockdown rules will forbid people from leaving their homes except for certain reasons, like the first lockdown last March
These include essential medical needs, food shopping, exercise and work for those who cannot do so from home.
Mr Johnson’s statement came after UK chief medical officers recommended the Covid threat level be increased to five – its highest level.
Level five means the NHS may soon be unable to handle a further sustained rise in cases, the medical officers said in a joint statement.