On Saturday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new one month coronavirus lockdown across England, due to the sudden spike in COVID-19 cases.
The new rules is all set to come into force from Thursday, people must stay at home except in cases where exemptions apply, such as for work, education or exercise, while all but essential shops will close.
In contrast to the months long UK wide lockdown earlier this year, schools, colleges and universities will remain open. But pubs and restaurants will shut unless serving takeaway food, while all leisure and entertainment venues and non-essential shops will be closed.
The restrictions are planned to end on December 2.
“Now is the time to take action because there’s no alternative,” Johnson said at a Downing Street news conference after convening his Cabinet earlier in the day to sign off on the plan.
“We have got to be humble in the face of nature. In this country, alas, as in much of Europe, the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst-case scenario of our scientific advisers,” he added.
The British premier will set out the new measures, which include extending a financial support scheme to help businesses pay furloughed employees for an additional month to December, to parliament on Monday.
Lawmakers will then vote on them on Wednesday.
