[News] Tight restrictions in London after detecting a new variant of covid-19

[G h o s t l y.]

The southeast and east of England will move to Level 4 this Sunday, with the closure of non-essential stores. The authorities have indicated that they have already alerted WHO to the discovery of this new strain.

 

London, the southeast and east of England will pass this Sunday to level 4, serious, of risk of covid-19, with the closure of non-essential stores, due to the rise in cases of the virus, the British Prime Minister announced this Saturday, Boris Johnson.

The prime minister, who held a government meeting today, announced at a press conference that restrictions will also be strengthened during the Christmas period in these areas after detecting a new variant of covid-19.

The authorities have indicated that they have already alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) about the discovery of this new strain, which spreads faster, although there is no evidence that it is more lethal or that it may have an impact on the effectiveness of the vaccines developed against covid-19, although this point is being urgently evaluated for confirmation.

Stores that sell non-essential items, gyms, cinemas and hair salons will be forced to close for a period of two weeks, while the meeting of one person with another who does not live under the same roof will be allowed only outdoors. , has indicated the head of the Government.

Also, at Christmas, those who live in this level 4 - serious - will not be able to meet others outside their family "bubble".

The prime minister has asked people who are in the different levels of restrictions in which England is divided, depending on the number of cases, to stay in their places of residence while the po[CENSORED]tion must "carefully consider whether there is a need to travel abroad ".
 

In addition, those who live in areas with level 4, similar to a confinement, will not be allowed to travel abroad, although with "limited exceptions", such as for work.

The 'premier' has asked residents of level 4 to work from home, while he has modified the plans for the Christmas period by establishing that those who are in levels 1, 2 and 3 of restrictions - low, moderate and substantial - can only meet three groups of different roofs only on the 25th.

Until today, these meetings were authorized between December 22 and 28, to give families flexibility.

England's chief medical officer Chris Whitty said Saturday that following "preliminary data and the rapid increase in cases in the southeast (of England)," the New Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats (NERVTAG) advisory group English) considers "that the new strain spreads more rapidly."

"We have alerted the WHO and we continue to analyze available data to improve our understanding" of the virus, he added.

Faced with this situation, "it is now more vital than ever that the po[CENSORED]tion take measures in their area to reduce transmission," said the medical director.