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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced tough new restrictions and social distancing measures for London and nearby areas on Saturday in an attempt to slow the spread of a new, highly transmissible variant of the coronavirus.
Flowing are details of a new coronavirus variant that has been identified in the United Kingdom
* The new variant is thought to have first occurred in mid-September in London or Kent, in the southeast of England.
* UK analysis suggests it may be up to 70 per cent more transmissible than the old variant, which could increase the reproduction “R” rate by 0.4.
* There is no evidence to suggest it is more lethal or causes more severe illness.
* There is no evidence suggesting vaccines will be any less effective against the new variant.
* The new variant contains 23 different changes, many of them associated with alterations in a protein made by the virus. Vallance said this was an unusually large number of changes.
* It has variants in areas of the virus that are known to be associated with how the virus binds to cells and enters cells.
* The variant has spread quickly in London, the southeast and east of England, becoming the dominant form of the virus in these areas.
* In London, 62 per cent of cases were due to the new variant in the week of December 9. That compared to 28 per cent three weeks earlier.
* In London, the overall infection rate doubled in the last week.
* In areas where the new variant was dominant, hospital admission rates were rising quickly and previously agreed social restrictions were no longer strong enough.
* Vallance said he thought the new variant may be in other countries as well but might have started in the UK.
* The UK submitted its findings to the World Health Organization on Friday night.
Following is a summary of the new restrictions.
New Tier 4
* London and parts of the south east and east of England currently in the highest Tier 3 category will enter a new Tier 4 level of restrictions, roughly equivalent to England’s lockdown in November.
* Residents in Tier 4 areas must stay at home, apart from limited exemptions.
* Non-essential retail, indoor gyms and leisure facilities, and personal care services must close.
* People must work from home if possible, but may travel to work if necessary, for example in construction and manufacturing.
* People should not enter or leave Tier 4 areas and residents must not stay overnight away from home.
* Individuals can only meet one person from another household in an outdoor public space.
* Communal worship can continue to take place.
* The measures will take effect from Sunday morning.
* A next formal review of the tiers system is due to take place on Dec. 30.
Travel
* The government has asked people across the United Kingdom to stay local and consider whether they need to travel abroad.
* People in Tier 4 areas will not be permitted to travel abroad apart from limited exceptions, such as for work.
Christmas
* People in Tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside their own household, but “support bubbles” will remain in place for those at particular risk of loneliness or isolation.
* Across the rest of the UK, rules allowing up to three households to meet will be limited to Christmas Day only, rather than the five days previously set out.
* There will be no relaxation on Dec 31, as previously announced.
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