British pubs will have to close early and others who violate quarantine regulations will face heavy fines under new closure restrictions to stem a developing wave of new coronavirus infections.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to announce the new measures on Tuesday, a day after the UK’s top medical officials raised the country’s COVID-19 alert level, saying the virus is in widespread flow and is spreading rapidly. he said the number of new infections in Britain, which reached 4,300 on Monday, could reach 50,000 per day in October if rapid action is not taken.
The Prime Minister said that from Thursday, pubs, bars and other places will be limited to table service only and will have to close at 22:00 hours.
Johnson must report to Parliament on the coronavirus stage on Tuesday after meeting with his cabinet and the government crisis committee, COBRA, and will deliver a televised response to the country about efforts to combat the virus.
The UK gradually increased restrictions as cases increased, with others banned from meeting in giant groups, but the measures are much less stringent than a national blockade imposed in March that resulted in movement restrictions and maximum business closure. cases began to decline, but this trend has now reversed.
On Monday, top medical officials in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland raised the virus alert from 3 to four, the highest level at the time, on the recommendation of the Joint Biosafety Centre. They said COVID-19 instances were expanding “quickly and exponentially. “
In a live televised briefing, scientific director Patrick Vallance and medical director Chris Whitty said that after a slow buildup of new infections during the summer, the number of new instances of COVID-19 now doubled every seven days. can be multiplied by ten to almost 50,000 per day next month if nothing is done now.
In other countries, such accumulation has temporarily led to an increase in the number of deaths, Whitty said, adding that “we have, in a very bad sense, literally reached a milestone” after weeks of emerging infections.
Whitty noted that infection rates were spreading across all age groups and that infections among other young and healthy people would inevitably spread to friends, the family circle, and ultimately to the most vulnerable in society.
“It’s not someone else’s problem,” he said, “that’s our total problem. “
To convince others to stay home if they tested positive, the government announced that it would pay low-income staff 500 pounds ($639) if they were told to isolate themselves for 14 days. it only faces fines of up to 10,000 pounds ($12,800).
Britain has the highest number of deaths in Europe in the pandemic, with more than 41,800 dead, according to a johns Hopkins University account. Experts say all these figures underestimate the true influence of the pandemic.
The 4,300 new infections reported on Monday reached a point that had not been noticed since early May. The highest number of new infections in Britain peaked with 6199 cases on April 5.
Although mortality rates remain low so far, Whitty warned that deaths are likely to increase. The UK reported an average of seven days out of 21 deaths in line with last week’s day, facing a peak of 942 deaths on 10 April.
These figures come with only deaths directly similar to COVID-19. The real cost may be much higher if emergency facilities are overwhelmed by coronavirus cases and if the national fitness service has to divert resources from remedying other illnesses, Whitty said.
But Whitty said the new restrictions should be balanced and not affect the economy and society, as greater deprivation and intellectual disease will also lead to deaths.
“If we do very little, this virus will be uncontrollable and you will get a significant buildup of direct and oblique deaths,” he said. “But if we go too far in the other direction, we can cause damage to the economy, it can fuel unemployment, poverty and deprivation. “
Vallance said efforts to locate a vaccine are moving forward and you’re still not sure it’s going to work, the studies are going in the right direction. According to him, some vaccines may be available until the end of the year “in small amounts for safe groups. “
Fears of a blockade hit stocks on Monday because aviation, hotel and corporate actions were hit. Shares of IAG, the parent company of British Airways, fell by 11. 3%, while pub companies Mitchells
Dr Michael Head, a global fitness expert at the University of Southampton, noted that Monday’s caution highlighted the worst-case scenario imaginable and failed to take into account local blockades that can stop the spread of the virus.
“It is vital to note that the medical director (official) stated that the possibility of 50,000 cases in line with the day of the ‘worst case’,” he said, adding that “it is a timely reminder that the pandemic is accelerating, either in the world and also here in the UK. “
The increase in infection rates in the UK occurs when lawmakers in all walks of life have criticised the Conservative government’s testing programme. While ministers are promoting the record number of tests being conducted, there are reports that other people have to travel many miles for canceled tests or tests because labs take too long to perform.
An app for viral contact search efforts will be published this week after months of delay.
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