As the new coronavirus wave sweeps across the entire world, England is taking all the necessary actions and is about to impose a second nationwide lockdown.
Following new lockdowns in Germany and France, England just announced new restrictions for a month, in hopes of improving the situation by the Christmas holiday. According to their government’s website, the Parliament is set to vote on the new restrictions on Wednesday. The new restrictions would go from November 5, Thursday until December 2, Wednesday.
People will be required to stay at home except for some purposes, including work that can’t be done online, education, childcare, and buying essential needs. Many businesses will be closed, including entertainment venues, salons, sports centers, gyms, and other non-essential ventures. Pubs and restaurants must also close, but can offer takeout and delivery services, except for alcoholic beverages.
This action is part of an effort to curb the spread of the coronavirus before the holidays. As per Prime Minister Boris Johnson, there is no alternative to a strict lockdown. For him, Christmas is already expected to be totally different this year, but by taking this tough action, they are hoping that they can allow families all over the country to be together by the Christmas season. Johnson, himself, tested positive in COVID-19 last March. He spent several days in self-isolation and eventually recovered.
The new restrictions are less restrictive compared to the first lockdown in the spring. This time, schools may remain open. These new rules have been thoroughly studied to lessen the growing number of cases and prevent the NHS from being overwhelmed.
Every country in the U.K. has its own set of measures. Wales and Northern Ireland have already executed their own varying lockdowns. Scotland, on the other hand, is still deciding on its own policies.
Just this November 1, the United Kingdom recorded 23,254 new COVID-19 cases. Moreover, as per the BBC, 162 deaths were recorded within 28 days of a positive test. At present, the United Kingdom has the 9th highest number of worldwide cases. There are 1,038,059 cases recorded since the pandemic started, Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center reported.
At present, flights between the U.K. and the U.S. are still flying but scaled back a bit. The United States has 13 funnel airports, including Newark Liberty International and New York City’s John F. Kennedy, and all of them still allow transport passengers to and from the United Kingdom.
American citizens arriving from the U.S. should follow the 14-day quarantine requirement upon their arrival. In line with this, there is always the possibility of being contacted in order to verify compliance. The only exception here is if you have spent the last 14 days in a country within the designated corridor.
The same restrictions will remain in place for the rest of the country after the quarantine period. Now, everyone’s hoping that measures will be eased after December 2. Complying with all of these will help limit the spread of the disease and save lives. The relevant officials, including the police, have the power to enforce the law. If needed, they will be there to disperse gatherings and impose fines. You can read a lot more articles like this on the Quikmaps website.
