London. After several other countries in Europe, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a partial lockdown for England as well. Starting next Thursday, only schools and universities will remain open in England, as Johnson explained on Saturday. All other places – such as cultural institutions, sports centers, non-essential stores, and restaurants and pubs – will have to close by December 2.
“The virus is currently spreading faster than our scientific advisors had assumed in a worst-case scenario,” Johnson said. “Now is the time to act, because there is no alternative.” The measures are necessary to save lives and protect the NHS from further overburdening, he said. The head of government vowed the British to leave their homes only in urgent cases – such as work, sport, shopping or caring for relatives.
22,000 new infections in just one day
On Saturday, Great Britain reported almost 22,000 new infections. The country thus broke through the threshold of one million confirmed coronavirus cases since the beginning of the pandemic. According to the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the United Kingdom counted 451 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the past two weeks.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland make their own rules. There, temporary corona measures are already much stricter than in England.
- hp, with reports from oe24.at. Picture: pixabay.com
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