By Ben Kerrigan-
Tougher coronavirus restrictions are to be placed on more parts of the Uk, completely ruining the already damaged new year for Brits.
An announcement is expected to see more areas move into tier four – “stay at home”. The plans puts no end in sight to the lockdown in the Uk, after prime minister Boris Johnson months ago expressed optimism for Britain to return to normality by Christmas.
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When the Uk entered lockdown on November 2, the idea was for a one month lockdown, after which the country would return to various tiers according to infection and hospital rates in the Uk. Since the lockdown was eased on December 2, the country is virtually heading for another lockdown.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock is set to outline the changes, expected to be introduced within days – in the House of Commons after 14:30 GMT.
Parts of the East Midlands, such as Northamptonshire and Leicestershire, as well as all areas of the West Midlands metropolitan county are other areas which could move into tier four.
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Suggestions for further curbs in areas already in the highest tiers are being seriously considered, due to concerns tier four rules are insufficient to stop the fast-spreading new virus variant.
Nearly 50% of the Uk is under tier 4 rules, where limitations have been placed on gatherings and all none essential shops, beauty salons and hairdressers to close, and limit people to meeting in a public outdoor place with their household, or one other person.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is caught in a dilemma between considerations of how best to reopen England’s secondary schools, after government advisers said keeping schools closed could ease pressure on the NHS.
The restrictions are set to completely ruin the new year and the month of January, potentially extending into February or even longer. And they could cause further chaos for the education system in 2021, after the fiasco of the 2020 summer G.C.S.E and A level exams if schools are shut for an extra month.
Ofqual has already announced its plans to be more generous in its handing out of exam grades next year, leading to the view that academic standards of G.C.S.E’s and A levels may be heading for a drop in 2021. In fact, there is concern that age groups forced to learn from home will suffer massive drops in standards, unless very capable tutors are hired for many thousands of children who need it.
Providing tutors will not solve all those problems since some children will need several hours of attention on many days, which could be very expensive per child.
The British government doesn’t have an endless pot of money to spend on primary and secondary school children, so it will almost be a given that the pandemic and its restrictions could have long term consequences for many children.
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Image:herfordshiremercury.com
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