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Will the World Go Into Lockdown Again

  • Coronavirus

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    • Will nosotros go back into lockdown again this year? It may be a new year's day but business organization effectually the new Omicron variant and its loftier transmissibility has many people wondering nearly farther measures in 2022.

    Despite emerging symptoms of Omicron just earlier the festive catamenia, Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that there wouldn't exist whatever restrictions over Christmas – even going so far every bit to say that Christmas parties weren't cancelled. It was a determination that meant a echo of 2020's terminal-minute commemoration cancellation, when the PM introduced new measures on Dec 19, could be avoided.

    Following this, the pandemic reached new heights in the United kingdom every bit almost 219,000 people tested positive on January four, according to the Great britain Health Security Agency. Merely with cases now actualization to be levelling off, will the prime number government minister be putting the country back into lockdown?

    Will we go back into lockdown this year?

    While we're all the same in the early days of 2022, the prime minister has confirmed that England won't go dorsum into lockdown for the time being.

    Speaking during a recent visit to a vaccination eye, Boris Johnson said that the country was in a "much better position" than concluding yr thank you to the vaccines.

    However, post-obit the spike in Omicron cases over Christmas and New year, he also warned it would be "folly" to think the pandemic was over and said that pressure on hospitals would be "considerable" in the upcoming weeks. For this reason, he kept Program B restrictions in identify following a review on January 5.

    Now at the stop of Jan, the Plan B restrictions are reaching their expiry date. If the PM wanted to continue with the measures, which include face masks in all public spaces and working from home guidance, he would take to pass them through Parliament again.

    People gathering at Waterloo Station, now it's been confirmed that we are not going back into lockdown

    Plan A guidance includes allowances for going back into the office, Credit: Getty

    Boris Johnson has announced that he will not be standing the restrictions and will commence with Plan A from January 20. This suggests above all that there is no programme to put England back into lockdown at the moment.

    Moving from Plan B to Plan A measures includes:

    • An stop to the piece of work from home dominion in the Great britain – with advice that people speak to their employer about returning to the role.
    • Pupils don't have to wear confront masks in the classroom
    • People can stop wearing face masks in indoor public spaces
    • An finish to mandatory Covid passes for some venues in England
    • Easing of intendance home restrictions

    It comes as the most contempo data shows the number of people with Covid-19 has fallen in England significantly since the beginning of the Omicron moving ridge. According to the Part for National Statistics (ONS), around iii.5 one thousand thousand people in the Britain tested positive for coronavirus in the week catastrophe Jan 15. While still meaning, this is much less than the iv.3 million who tested positive the week before.

    This now works out to be roughly 1 in 20 people infected with the virus or an estimated 5.3% of the population.

    Boris Johnson has previously warned, however, that people should be "sensible" virtually their social interactions and take a lateral menstruum test earlier meeting people they don't normally see. This is specially important, wellness experts advise, as the symptoms of Omicron resemble more of a common cold than previous strains. He likewise added that getting a first, second or a booster jab was imperative to stay prophylactic.

    "We've got to remain cautious, we've got to stick with plan B, we've got to get boosted," the prime number minister said.

    While many believed we were ready for another Covid-themed Christmas, with restrictions limiting gatherings of family unit and friends, the prime government minister opted for a "normality" of sorts with Plan B.

    "The situation remains extremely hard, but I likewise recognise that people have been waiting to hear about whether their Christmas plans, your Christmas plans, are going to be affected," he said at the fourth dimension.

    "What I can say tonight is that naturally we can't rule out whatever further measures afterward Christmas, and we're going to keep a constant eye on the date – nosotros will do whatever it takes to protect public health.

    "Only, in the view of the continuing uncertainty about several things – the severity of Omicron, the uncertainty about the hospitalisation rates or the impact of the vaccine rollout and the boosters – nosotros don't remember today that at that place is enough evidence to justify any tougher measures earlier Christmas."

    This announcement came just days before the Health Security Agency (UKHSA) announced that the rules on when yous can come out of Covid isolation have changed in England. Those who tested negative on day six and 7 of their quarantine didn't accept to isolate for the full 10 days. This has now, at the fourth dimension of writing, been reduced to five days in isolation post-obit a negative test on day five and 6.

    Both the health secretary and the prime number government minister have encouraged people to take up their booster jab when it is available to them, proverb information technology was "more vital than e'er". The jab is now available to anyone over 16 years old, post-obit updated guidance from the Joint Committee on Vaccinations and Immunisations (JCVI).

    Health officials take also urged people to continue taking tests for the virus, which are now bachelor again after a temporary shortage in Dec. Lateral flow tests can be fake positive, even so, this is highly unlikely to be the case according to new inquiry. So, anyone without symptoms should too use these to test where possible.

    The change in the rules came effectually the same fourth dimension that reports emerged of gatherings taking place at x Downing Street over lockdown. Now being investigated by Sue Gray, who is a senior civil servant, the enquiry is expected to conclude in the coming weeks.

    But while it looks like England won't be going back into lockdown at the moment, experts have wanted that a tighter clampdown could be on the fashion if people don't take to the measures.

    Professor Greg Towers, Division of Infection and Immunity at Academy College London, said that if people treat the pandemic like "it's all over" so at that place will be higher infection rates – and more chance of a lockdown.

    He told Times Radio, "If we don't wear masks and if nosotros ignore social distancing rules, and if nosotros pretend it'south all over, then what's going to happen is we'll get another big wave of infection and nosotros'll get put into lockdown again. So, if we don't want lockdown, nosotros've got to try and stop the spread by easier means like mask-wearing and social distancing."

    Plan A and B were announced earlier in the summer past the government as the style the country would handle Covid-19 in the wintertime.

    Plan A prevented the NHS from experiencing serious force per unit area through vaccines for more historic period groups and more testing. Every bit office of the programme, Track and Trace connected and the government encouraged businesses to consider using the NHS Covid Pass to bank check whether customers had a double vaccination.

    Two people walking down the road wearing a face mask in England as we may go back into lockdown again

    Credit: Getty

    Plan B was put into place by officials as they believed the NHS was coming under "unsustainable pressure" due to the Omicron variant over winter last yr.

    Before in Oct, following a rise to up to 40,000 cases for eight days in a row, doctors from The British Medical Association said ministers should brainstorm their Plan B. They besides accused the authorities of being "wilfully negligent" for refusing to reimpose Covid rules, such as compulsory face masks, before this date.

    However, Wellness Minister Edward Argar said at the time that the NHS was not under the "unsustainable pressure" required to justify new restrictions. "We know how those numbers tin rise swiftly, which is why we're looking at that day by twenty-four hours, hour by hour," he said. "But at the moment we practise have the ability to manage."

    On announcing the cease of lockdown before this year, Prime Minister Boris Johnson suggested that when the measures did lift, it would be "irreversible". Merely there would as well be "trade offs" involved.

    He said, "We can begin safely to restart our lives and exercise information technology with confidence. But I desire to exist frank about exactly what that means and the trade-offs involved. The vaccines reduce the danger of Covid: they salve lives and they keep people out of hospital.

    "But no vaccine confronting any disease has ever been 100 per cent effective," he continued. "So whenever we ease the lockdown, whether it is today or in six or nine months, we've got to exist realistic and have that at that place volition exist more infections, more hospitalisations and therefore – sadly – more than deaths, merely as there are every year with flu. Even if we sustained the lockdown indefinitely, which would itself cost lives and practice immeasurable harm to our children, nosotros would not be able to eradicate this disease."

    "And that is why it is so crucial that this roadmap should be cautious but besides irreversible. We are setting out on what I hope and believe is a one style road to liberty."

    Even when the government delayed the terminate of lockdown on June 21 2021 by four weeks, the message stayed the same. The prime number minister continued to stress that England's approach was "cautious only irreversible". He besides repeatedly referred to July 19 as the "terminus date" for restrictions. Following this, the public dubbed July nineteen as "Liberty Day".

    Wellness Secretary Sajid Javid also said earlier in the summer that there would be no further lockdowns later July 19. He told news outlets that he wanted the restrictions to lift "every bit speedily equally possible". He added it was "going to be irreversible, in that location'due south no going back. That's why nosotros want to exist careful during that process."

    On July v, however, the PM did reveal that the government would keep some "contingency measures" in place. These would be "to help manage the virus during higher risk periods, such every bit the winter".

    He said, "We will place accent on strengthened guidance and do everything possible to avoid reimposing restrictions with all the costs that they bring."

    Announcing plans for how the country would "live with Covid", the government said that they intended to:

    • Reduce the vaccine dose interval for under 40s from 12 weeks to 8
    • Motility away from legal restrictions to permit people to make their own decisions about managing the virus
    • Continue with a "proportionate" test, trace and isolate system
    • Maintain tough edge controls (with the requirement to prove a double vaccination before travel)

    In late July, experts were withal cautioning the public that the situation could worsen in the wintertime. They didn't confirm whether we will become back into lockdown this year only said that if cases do ascent essentially, the government may have no choice only to enforce restrictions.

    Is Scotland going back into lockdown?

    No, the near contempo restrictions in Scotland came to an end on January 17 2022.

    Previously, merely 100 people could nourish indoor continuing events, with up to 200 people at indoor seated events and up to 500 people – either seated or continuing – at outdoor events. This restriction is no longer in place in Scotland as of Jan 17.

    Then from January 24, all rules on indoor events and venues will exist lifted – including the need for table service in hospitality locations. Nightclubs will also exist able to open from this date.

    The change to the rules before the new year meant that various larger scale Hogmanay events were cancelled.

    Starting time Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that over the commencement calendar week of Jan, everyone should "stay at home right now more than than normal" and reduce social contact with people from outside of their household.

    "The new protective measures relating to hospitality, public indoor places and alive events that I set out last calendar week are at present in force," she said.

    "Nosotros volition review these on an ongoing footing – notwithstanding, at this stage, our expectation is that they will exist in force until 17 January.

    Some social distancing measures were also re-introduced earlier Christmas, with Deputy Kickoff Minister John Swinney urging people to take "the greatest of care" when mixing households.

    This included the guidance to only mix in groups of up to three households at a time and social distancing measures for shops and hospitality venues.

    "We hope that we have done enough in the announcements that were made yesterday and we hope that members of the public and businesses will piece of work with u.s. in a cooperative spirit to make sure that we can take these provisions forward," Mr Swinney told Good Forenoon Scotland at the time.

    Nicola Sturgeon had previously warned that she was prepared to enforce Covid restrictions in Scotland where necessary.

    Speaking about the new restrictions, she said,  "Even if you feel aroused with a politician only now, please remember just how important compliance is for the health and safety of you, your loved ones and the state."

    Scotland was also the showtime to float the idea of a circuit billow lockdown over the terminate of the summer. Information technology was a potential option to stem the rising in cases earlier kids went dorsum to school for the new year. However, it didn't happen and Scotland have retained their Level Zippo Covid condition since restrictions were lifted in August.

    However, the FM used the SNP Conference in November – which occurred only hours after the diagnosis of the Omicron variant in Scotland – to double downwards on the fight against the virus.

    "In contempo weeks, nosotros have had much in Scotland to feel thankful for. Compared to many countries beyond Europe, Covid cases hither have been stable – indeed they have been declining slightly. To be frank, that's a much better position that I had dared promise for a couple of months ago."

    But she said, "There are big and very real challenges ahead over the winter months. Cases are ascent in countries all effectually u.s.. Nosotros know that colder conditions, forcing the states indoors, coupled with festive socialising will create increased opportunities for the virus to spread. And, about seriously of all, the Omicron variant is causing profound business concern here and across the world.

    "So we must not drop our guard. This is a fourth dimension to be more vigilant, not less."

    Ms Sturgeon said that a number of countries had been added to Scotland's travel red list and anyone arriving from these places must at present go into a managed quarantine facility. Travellers as well have to isolate until they go a negative result from the PCR examination that they do on day 2 of their arrival, regardless of where they've come from.

    "Nosotros are also asking close contact of any confirmed cases of Omicron to isolate," she said, " That none of this was even contemplated just a few days agone, is a reminder of how fast this virus can movement and change. We must, all of us, therefore redouble our efforts to stop it in its tracks."

    Nevertheless, other ministers accept previously noted that there would be issues with financially supporting another lockdown in Scotland. Finance Secretary Kate Forbes claimed before this year that the land doesn't take the money for farther intense restrictions and would only exist able to enforce them if the Britain authorities was willing to fund a complete shutdown.

    Ms Forbes said that at that place wouldn't be whatever coin bachelor for furlough if Scotland was forced to go into lockdown once again, leaving people unable to work without financial aid.

    Speaking a Holyrood'southward Finance Committee, she said, "Ane of the biggest challenges right now from a financial perspective is the fact that there hasn't been that much additional consequential funding from the UK Authorities in the concluding few months.

    "Correct at present we are trying to remobilise the health service, remobilise the justice system, remobilise a whole host of unlike public services, as well every bit deal with the ongoing covid impact from a budget that has not been supplemented by additional consequentials coming from the UK Government in the style that it was terminal yr.

    "That'due south not what nosotros're discussing at the moment. We're talking about trying to maximise the impact of the baseline measures. Simply if we were to, then we have no certainty that furlough will be in place. Nosotros take no certainty that cocky employed income support volition be in place. And I have no certainty that at that place volition be whatever additional funding in place.

    She added, "I am non sitting on funds right now that I could deploy to support businesses. Nosotros would demand additional help from the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland Government."

    Is Wales going back into lockdown?

    Showtime Minister Marker Drakeford warned that some of the scrapped Covid-19 restrictions could come up back and similarly to Scotland, enforced new measures earlier Christmas.

    However, Mr Drakeford has now set out a plan for Wales to return to warning level aught on Jan 28 if cases continue to fall as they are.

    The measures, put into place on Boxing Day 2021, included advice to limit social contact with others outside of the household – especially if seeing older or more than vulnerable people. In that location were likewise changes and so information technology is an offence to not work from home if you lot're able to. Only groups of upward to 6 people are immune to gather in hospitality venues with the requirement for table service, compulsory face masks and contact tracing in place.

    Nightclubs also closed from Dec 27.

    Anyone going to the cinema, theatre, or a concert in Wales from November fifteen has to prove a double vaccination with a Covid laissez passer. Pubs, cafes and restaurants likewise may require the passes as well.

    Will Northern Ireland have another lockdown?

    Northern Ireland has had one of the slower journeys out of lockdown in the United kingdom of great britain and northern ireland. After only reopening nightclubs on October 31, executive ministers take reinforced some restrictions.

    These included closing nightclubs over again on December 26 and banning all indoor continuing events. There besides also now restrictions on hospitality venues and pubs, cafes and restaurants must provide table service only. Similar to Wales, only 6 people are allowed to sit together at a tabular array – but this rule does non permit to wedding celebrations.

    Proof of a double Covid vaccine is also required to proceeds access to some hospitality premises and indoor settings. But this rule has been in identify in Northern Ireland since December thirteen.

    In mid-November 2021, infection rates in Northern Ireland were the highest in the UK – above Wales.

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    While working from home is not compulsory in England, Health Government minister Robin Swann said he believes anyone in Northern Ireland who was working from dwelling house during the acme of the pandemic last year should do so once more.

    The rules on face masks were never dropped in Northern Republic of ireland either. They remain mandatory on public ship, in shops and in all indoor attractions unless you are exempt.

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    Source: https://www.goodto.com/family/family-news/will-we-go-back-into-lockdown-this-year-595165