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Tougher Covid-19 restrictions are set to be unveiled on Wednesday, probably together with a brand new so-called tier 5 within the worst-hit areas of London and the south.
Boris Johnson will hear the recommendation of his medical and scientific consultants at a crunch assembly this night, earlier than deciding on what can be the third crackdown in little greater than per week.
More areas of England – within the midlands and the north – appear sure to be moved into tier 4, with an instruction to remain at dwelling and a restrict of assembly just one different particular person outside.
But rising alarm over the fast unfold of the brand new, extra infectious Covid variant has put ministers beneath stress to introduce even harsher curbs within the capital and different areas of the south.
It is believed they might embrace banning folks from leaving their houses for non-essential causes – matching the restrictions on the outbreak of the pandemic, in March – though they’re unlikely to be known as tier 5 formally.
A cupboard battle continues to be raging over whether or not to maintain some faculties closed in January, to curb transmission, with no resolution anticipated at this time.
The prime minister has repeatedly didn’t rule out a 3rd nationwide lockdown – one thing Andrew Hayward, of the federal government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag), advised is perhaps needed.
“We’re entering a new dangerous phase of the pandemic and we’re going to need decisive, early, national action to prevent a catastrophe in January and February,” Professor Hayward mentioned.
“A 50 per cent increase in transmissibility means that the previous levels of restrictions that worked before won’t work now and so tier 4 restrictions are likely to necessary or even higher than that.”
The Independent understands that the prime minister will host a gathering of the Covid committee that decides on the tier stage in every space, in Downing Street on Tuesday night.
Matt Hancock, the well being secretary, will then announce the choices to MPs within the Commons, instantly after the Brexit commerce deal is anticipated to be authorized by an enormous majority.
On Tuesday, the prime minister’s spokesperson didn’t deny that a few of the Nightingale hospitals will not be getting used due to nursing shortages – regardless of extra Covid sufferers on wards than the earlier peak in April.
Asked a couple of report that the London Nightingale is being stripped of beds, he mentioned solely that it was “not my understanding that any have been dismantled”.
And he rebuffed stress for lecturers to be given early vaccinations, saying there can be no change to excluding them from the precedence teams.
On the timing of faculty reopenings, the spokesperson mentioned: “We’re still planning for a staggered opening of schools and we are working to ensure testing is in place.
“As we have said throughout the pandemic, we obviously keep all measures under constant review.”
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