Prime Minister Boris Johnson tonight (Monday) announced that the country will go into Coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown for seven weeks and the country will move to Alert Level 5.
He explained that the new strain is 50-70 per cent more transmissable – with a rising number of patients in hospital across the country over the last week.
Stay at home
From the start of the third lockdown residents will only be able to leave home for:
- Shopping for essentials
- Work (if you can’t work from home)
- Daily exercise
- To seek medical attention
- To escape domestic abuse
Schools
The PM also announced that schools will move to remote learning from tomorrow – except for children of key workers and vulnerable children – until at least after the February half term.
He said schools may act as “vectors for transmission”, causing the virus to spread between households and that exams would not be going ahead this summer.
Shielding
Those who shielded in the previous lockdown because they are clinically vulnerable are asked to shield again, said the PM.
The Isle of Wight council will offering support to those that need it via their Covid support line.
Support bubbles
You have to meet certain eligibility rules to form a support or childcare bubble. This means not everyone will be able to form a bubble.
There is separate guidance for support bubbles and childcare bubbles.
Travel
According to the new restrictions you must not leave your home unless you have a reasonable excuse (for example, for work or education purposes).
If you need to travel you should stay local – meaning avoiding travelling outside of your village, town or the part of a city where you live – and look to reduce the number of journeys you make overall.
The list of reasons you can leave your home and area include, but are not limited to:
- work, where you cannot reasonably work from home
- accessing education and for caring responsibilities
- visiting those in your support bubble – or your childcare bubble for childcare
- visiting hospital, GP and other medical appointments or visits where you have had an accident or are concerned about your health
- buying goods or services that you need, but this should be within your local area wherever possible
- outdoor exercise. This should be done locally wherever possible, but you can travel a short distance within your area to do so if necessary (for example, to access an open space)
- attending the care and exercise of an animal, or veterinary services
Overnight stays
You cannot leave your home or the place where you are living for holidays or overnight stays unless you have a reasonable excuse for doing so. This means that holidays in the UK and abroad are not allowed.
This includes staying in a second home or caravan, if that is not your primary residence.
When does it come into effect?
The Prime Minister said the new law will come into effect from the early hours of Wednesday morning.
However, people are asked to follow the restrictions straight away.
Find out more
More details have been posted to the Government Website.
Read more about Alert Level 5.
Quigley: “This delay will have doubtless led to more deaths”
Richard Quigley, Chair of Isle of Wight Labour, told News OnTheWight,
“Despite the figures going in the wrong direction for far too long, despite the experts warning that tougher measures would be needed and in spite of support from the general public, the government has yet again waited until no other option is left.
“This delay will have doubtless led to more deaths. They are out of their depth on test and trace and the vaccine won’t be rolled out quickly enough to make meaningful difference in the short term.”
He went on to say,
“This lockdown was inevitable. The government had all of Christmas to come up with a plan, but have caused unnecessary worry for parents and teachers by insisting schools would open.”
Quigley: Open test centre seven days a week
Mr Quigley finished by saying,
“This time, the government needs to spend the time fixing the test and trace system, using local health teams to run the system in each area.
“The test centre on the Island needs to be open seven days a week and the council need to support our teachers and school staff. We all need to stay at home and go back to looking out for those that need help.”
Lowthion: “Devastating news for our country and our Island”
Vix Lowthion, the chair of Isle of Wight Green Party, told News OnTheWight,
“Devastating news for our country and our Island that we are now in another lockdown – with disruption likely for another two months.
“Yet again we must stay at home to protect our NHS workers, our supermarket and delivery staff. And yet again the Island will step up to the plate and put into place the community hubs on which so many depend.
“Thousands of people will die in the coming weeks due to the dithering and delaying by a government who have managed this pandemic absolutely appallingly. Internationally the UK is Plague Island – and this will be the legacy of Boris Johnson.”
Lowthion: “Boris Johnson has failed a generation”
Ms Lowthion went on to add,
“As a teacher I am absolutely gutted for the exam groups, the vulnerable students, the disadvantaged and those young people who really rely on schools for social and mental health. There are so many ‘what ifs?’ regarding the rotas that government banned and crucial laptops that never arrived.
“Boris Johnson has failed a generation.”
Stuart: Reckless approach to school closures
Nick Stuart, chair of the Isle of Wight Liberal Democrats, told News OnTheWight,
“At last there is some certainty. The science was clear in November that a third lockdown was essential.
“Yet again the government failed to act decisively and at the right time. It dithered and delayed.
“Its approach on schools has been close to reckless. Schools are to be closed barely 48 hours after the Prime Minister was telling the BBC that schools were safe. Sadly even our council leadership let us down by not adding its voice to those imploring the government not to open schools on Monday.”
Stuart: “The right thing to do”
He went on to say,
“But, whatever you feel about the government, this new lockdown is the right thing to do.
“Sticking to the lockdown rules will help protect the NHS and save lives in the crucial period while the vaccines are rolled out to the most vulnerable in our communities.
“The previous two lockdowns showed that Islanders overwhelmingly will help each other out. We can all do our bit – stay home unless necessary to leave; wash and sanitise hands; wear a face covering unless exempt; and look out for family, friends and neighbours.
“And if a vaccine is offered to you, take it – it not only will protect you, it will protect your loved ones, and ultimately our whole Island community.”
Article edit
8.30pm 4th Jan 2020 – Comment from Quigley added
8.41pm 4th Jan 2020 – More lockdown information added
8.43pm 4th Jan 2020 – Comment from Lowthion added
7.22am 5th Jan 2020 – Comment from Stuart added
