The prime minister has announced a new raft of measures to avoid “hundreds of daily deaths”.
Coming into force in England in the next week, the new measures include:
- Office workers who can work from home should do so.
- Pubs, bars and restaurants in England will be ordered to close by 10pm each night.
- The hospitality sector will be restricted to table service only.
- Face coverings must be worn in taxis and private hire vehicles, and by retail staff while at work.
- Customers in indoor hospitality will also have to wear face coverings – except while seated at a table to eat or drink.
- The exemptions to the rule of six will be reduced, banning indoor team sport – such as indoor five-a-side football matches.
- The planned return of spectators to sports venues will now not go ahead from October 1.
- Wedding ceremonies and receptions will be capped at 15 people from Monday.
Restrictions could be in place for six months
He told MPs:
“I want to stress that this is by no means a return to the full lockdown of March. We’re not issuing a general instruction to stay at home.
“We will ensure that schools, colleges, universities stay open because nothing is more important than the education, health and well-being of our young people.
“We will ensure businesses can stay open in a Covid-compliant way. However we must take action to suppress the disease.”
Mr Speaker, we will spare no effort in developing vaccines, treatments and new forms of mass-testing
but unless we palpably make progress, we should assume that the restrictions I have announced will remain in place for perhaps six months.
