Thread by @Telegraph

🔴 Boris Johnson is expected to announce new lockdown restrictions in an address to the nation at 8pm.

The Prime Minister's statement comes after he warned that there were "tough tough" weeks to come.

All the main updates in this thread 👇
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

It is expected that measures will include a return to shielding, further school closures, and stronger "stay at home" messaging.

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🔴 The speech has started.

"Since the pandemic began last year, the whole of the UK has engaged in a national effort against Covid.

"But we now have a new variant of the virus and it's been both frustrating and alarming to see the speed with which the new variant is spreading"

"Our scientists have confirmed this new variant is between 50 and 70 per cent more transmissible," the PM says.

"As I speak to you tonight, our hospitals are under more pressure from Covid than at any time"
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

Mr Johnson notes that the number of hospital patients has increased by almost a third to nearly 27,000, almost a third higher than the peak of the first wave in April.

"It's clear that we need to do more together to bring this new variant under control"

"In England, we must therefore go into a national lockdown which is tough enough to combat this variant.

"That means the Government is once again instructing you to stay at home"
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

The PM says Britons may only leave their homes:

🔹To shop for essentials
🔹To go to work "if you absolutely cannot work from home"
🔹To exercise
🔹To seek medical assistance
🔹To get a Covid test
🔹To escape domestic abuse

"If you are clinically extremely vulnerable, we are advising you to begin shielding again, and you will shortly receive a letter about what this means for you"
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

Primary schools and secondary schools and colleges across England must move to remote provision from tomorrow, except for vulnerable children and the children of key workers

Early years settings such as nurseries will remain accessible, and new restrictions will mean it is "not possible or fair for all exams to go ahead this summer as normal".

Boris Johnson says he understands the "distress" that the new measures will cause to parents and pupils

Boris Johnson says "the weeks ahead will be the hardest yet."

"But I really do believe we're entering the last phase of the struggle," he adds
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

🔴 The third national lockdown – the strictest since last spring – begins immediately, with new laws coming into force within 24 hours

telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/0…

Third lockdown: The five permitted reasons to go out ⬇️

These are the UK's coronavirus hotspots ⬇️

Boris Johnson told the UK that there is a material risk the NHS could be "overwhelmed in 21 days" unless tough action is taken now.

It is all to do with the new variant of coronavirus, which is more transmissible than the original virus strain
telegraph.co.uk/global-health/…

All Primary and Secondary schools will have to close from tomorrow.

Only vulnerable children and the children of key workers will be allowed to attend schools for face-to-face learning, and early years settings such as nurseries will remain accessible
telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/01/0…

Here is Boris Johnson's statement on the new national lockdown in full ⬇️
telegraph.co.uk/politics/2021/…

The third lockdown will see business premises closures increase to 550,000.

According to real estate adviser Altus Group, this figure includes:

🔹401,690 non-essential shops
🔹64,537 pubs and restaurants
🔹20,703 personal care facilities
🔹7,051 gyms/leisure centres