LONDON: New strict restrictions have come into force in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland on Sunday as powers developed to curb rising coronavirus cases in the United Kingdom.
Prime Minister boris johnson And his cabinet is expected to review the latest data and advice from experts on Monday to decide whether further restrictions are needed for England as well. The area is currently under Plan B measures, which call for work from home, mandatory face masks and COVID-19 vaccination certificates for entry in large spaces.
Meanwhile, nightclubs in Wales will be closed from Sunday and a maximum of six people will be allowed to meet in pubs, restaurants and cinemas. A maximum of 30 people will be allowed in indoor events, while the limit is 50 for outdoor events.
In Scotland, social distancing of one meter will now be required at large events and attendance will be limited to 100 people for indoor events where people are standing, or 200 for inside seating events. For outdoor events, the limit is 500 people. From Monday, nightclubs will be forced to close for three weeks, table service will be required in settings where alcohol is being served – and the one-meter rule will apply to hospitality and leisure settings.
Northern Ireland has also closed nightclubs, while indoor standings events and dancing in hospitality settings will remain banned. From Monday, a limit of six people – or 10 people from the same household – will be allowed in indoor hospitality settings. Children will not be counted in the total and weddings or civil partnership ceremonies will be exempt.
Daily coronavirus figures are not being reported over the Christmas and Boxing Day weekend, but the UK saw another high of 122,186 cases on Friday. The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated – using its weekly randomized testing program – that seven days ago 1.74 million people, or one in 35, had coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph reports that one of Britain’s most senior health advisers has been accused of circulating “dodgy data” that exaggerated the potential risk from the Omicron version of COVID-19.
Dr. Jenny Harris, Chief Executive Officer UK Health Protection Agency (UKHSA), is believed to be the source of a disputed claim by Health Secretary Sajid Javid that there is usually a 17-day gap between patients becoming infected and being admitted to hospital. However, independent experts pointed to ONS data, which suggested an average delay of nine or 10 days.
“Covid restrictions harm people’s lives, livelihoods and mental well-being. So it’s really important that the debate about them is based on solid data,” said Conservative Party MP Mark Harper, president of Anti-Lockdown covid recovery group,
“The serious question that needs to be asked is whether the senior health adviser is giving ministers misleading figures, and has failed to correct them at the earliest. Ministers also have a responsibility to ask detailed questions to ensure they are not fake. Not using data. We can do better than that,” he said.
Johnson is expected to face substantial resistance from within his Conservative Party over additional lockdown restrictions for England, noting that 100 Tory MPs earlier this month opposed less strict Plan B measures in the House of Commons. He had revolted.
Prime Minister boris johnson And his cabinet is expected to review the latest data and advice from experts on Monday to decide whether further restrictions are needed for England as well. The area is currently under Plan B measures, which call for work from home, mandatory face masks and COVID-19 vaccination certificates for entry in large spaces.
Meanwhile, nightclubs in Wales will be closed from Sunday and a maximum of six people will be allowed to meet in pubs, restaurants and cinemas. A maximum of 30 people will be allowed in indoor events, while the limit is 50 for outdoor events.
In Scotland, social distancing of one meter will now be required at large events and attendance will be limited to 100 people for indoor events where people are standing, or 200 for inside seating events. For outdoor events, the limit is 500 people. From Monday, nightclubs will be forced to close for three weeks, table service will be required in settings where alcohol is being served – and the one-meter rule will apply to hospitality and leisure settings.
Northern Ireland has also closed nightclubs, while indoor standings events and dancing in hospitality settings will remain banned. From Monday, a limit of six people – or 10 people from the same household – will be allowed in indoor hospitality settings. Children will not be counted in the total and weddings or civil partnership ceremonies will be exempt.
Daily coronavirus figures are not being reported over the Christmas and Boxing Day weekend, but the UK saw another high of 122,186 cases on Friday. The UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated – using its weekly randomized testing program – that seven days ago 1.74 million people, or one in 35, had coronavirus.
Meanwhile, the Sunday Telegraph reports that one of Britain’s most senior health advisers has been accused of circulating “dodgy data” that exaggerated the potential risk from the Omicron version of COVID-19.
Dr. Jenny Harris, Chief Executive Officer UK Health Protection Agency (UKHSA), is believed to be the source of a disputed claim by Health Secretary Sajid Javid that there is usually a 17-day gap between patients becoming infected and being admitted to hospital. However, independent experts pointed to ONS data, which suggested an average delay of nine or 10 days.
“Covid restrictions harm people’s lives, livelihoods and mental well-being. So it’s really important that the debate about them is based on solid data,” said Conservative Party MP Mark Harper, president of Anti-Lockdown covid recovery group,
“The serious question that needs to be asked is whether the senior health adviser is giving ministers misleading figures, and has failed to correct them at the earliest. Ministers also have a responsibility to ask detailed questions to ensure they are not fake. Not using data. We can do better than that,” he said.
Johnson is expected to face substantial resistance from within his Conservative Party over additional lockdown restrictions for England, noting that 100 Tory MPs earlier this month opposed less strict Plan B measures in the House of Commons. He had revolted.
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