The British government is set to outline further restrictive measures for England on Monday, including stricter local lockdowns, as it attempts to curb a rapid increase in coronavirus infections.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected to outline the restrictions first to the House of Commons, and then in a televised statement to the public on Monday evening. The country is braced for the introduction of a “three-tier” system that will classify regions in terms of the severity of their infection rate, with differing levels of restrictions imposed on that basis.
Liverpool and Manchester and other parts of northern England could see the strictest measures as they have seen infection rates soar since the national lockdown was lifted in the summer. British media reports suggest that pubs, restaurants and gyms in the worst-hit areas could be forced to close for four weeks as the government scrambles to put a brake on a second wave of infections.
The measures are likely to heighten tensions between regional politicians and the national government in London, as local economies come under additional pressure and thousands of jobs are likely to be affected.
As Johnson held an emergency meeting with top officials to finalize the measures, the U.K.’s leading medical experts held a press briefing. They warned of increasing hospitalizations and said several “Nightingale” hospitals, built especially to deal with an influx of Covid-19 patients, had been put on standby.