Prime Minister announces fresh national lockdown
English residents will be told to stay at home under tougher measures, which include the closure of schools, Johnson outlined in a televised address from Downing Street.
He said the public's "collective efforts" had been working against the old coronavirus variant but the new variant was spreading at a "frustrating and alarming” speed. The new variant has been found to be 50-70% more transmissible, according to Government scientists.
The new rules will become law in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Johnson said.
Schools and colleges will move to remote learning from tomorrow (Tuesday 5 January), apart from for vulnerable children and children of key workers, in contrast with the four-week lockdown that occurred in November.
This will last until at least mid-February, although no firm date of the lockdown easing was declared.
Alcohol sales limits
What's more, the new rules mean hospitality venues will no longer be allowed to offer click and collect sales of alcohol.
Hospitality venues can provide food and non-alcoholic drinks for takeaway and click-and-collect until 11pm, a document on the Government website states.
It states: "All food and drink (including alcohol) can continue to be provided by delivery."
The Morning Advertiser is seeking to clarify the exact rules around the delivery of alcohol.
It comes as a further 58,784 coronavirus cases were confirmed across the UK, according to Government figures.
There were also 407 deaths recorded within 28 days of a positive test.
Pubs have been closed in England apart from the Isles of Scilly for a number of days under tier three and tier four measures.
Wave of business failures
Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, called for more support.
She said: “Given the circumstances, a wave of business failures is imminent unless a greater package of financial support from the Government is given to secure pubs and the brewers that supply them. That means grants in line with those in the first lockdown and support beyond April when the business rates holiday, lower VAT rates and furlough scheme all end.
“Having made it this far through the crisis, it would be disastrous if the Prime Minister didn’t now deliver the support our sector needs to ensure it makes it through to Easter when we hope to return back to normality."
