Boris Johnson orders England into its 2nd lockdown lasting 4 weeks
- England learned on Saturday night, Halloween, that it would be heading into a second lockdown
- UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the English people they would have to endure a 4-week lockdown lasting until 2 December
- Michale Gove warned that if the infection rate did not drop below 1 that the lockdown could be extended
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Last night UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson told the English people that they would have to endure a second lockdown, this time lasting a minimum of four weeks.
The lockdown would come into effect on Thursday with strict rules restricting peoples movements and activities.
Briefly.co.za learned that schools, colleges and universities will remain open but pubs, restaurants, gyms and shops that are not deemed to be essential will shut down.
A full statement is expected to be delivered to the Commons on Monday before a vote on the latest round of social distancing guidelines is made.
Source: Getty Images
Johnson said that the lockdown should last until Thursday, 2 December but Michael Gove told the BBC that the restrictions would be lifted when the infection rate, the r rate, dropped sufficiently.
If not Mr Gove warned that the lockdown may continue beyond 2 December. The r rate needs to drop below 1 before the lockdown is lifted according to what Gove told Sky News.
The current UK infection rate is at between 1.3 and 1.6 which translated into over 20 000 new cases a day. The total number of active cases is 1 011 660 and 46 555 deaths.
Earlier, Briefly.co.za reported that there has been a growing concern over a possible second wave of Covid-19 in Mzansi. Experts say that it is highly unlikely that a second wave will happen this year. Health experts have urged South Africans to change their behaviour and avoid events that will contribute to the spread of the virus.
This is because positive cases are still on the rise, especially in the Western Cape and Gauteng provinces.
Chairperson of social security systems administration and management studies at Wits University, Professor Alex van den Heever has said that South Africa was unlikely to face a second wave of the virus.
In other news, while President Cyril Ramaphosa has denied plans to return to a strict lockdown, France has seen this become reality.
The European nation has seen a dramatic spike in fatalities in recent days, similar to what was seen in April this year.
France will be heading back to national lockdown this week in an attempt to limit the spread of Covid-19 in the country.
French President Emmanuel Macron held an address on Wednesday evening to announce the move, which is set to last until at least 1 December.
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Source: Briefly News
