Johnson has faced criticism over the newly unveiled measures (Image credit: Boris Johnson’s Twitter account).
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has unveiled the return to three-tier system measures after the current lockdown in England ends on 2 December.
Johnson told the Commons earlier today, “For the first time since this wretched virus took hold we can see a route out.” “But the hard truth is we are not there yet,” he noted, adding that “we must get through winter without virus getting out of control”.
Under the restrictions which are currently in place, all non-essential businesses remain closed and people in England are only permitted to travel for essential reasons.
However, starting from December 2, the three-tier system is expected to be reinstated – tougher than it was in October.
“The scientific advice is… that our tiers need to be made tougher,” Johnson said.
“I am sorry to say we expect that more regions to will fall at least temporarily into higher levels than before”. However, he added that “by using these tougher tiers and rapid turnaround tests on an even greater scale to drive R below one and keep it there, it should be possible for areas to move down the [tier] scale”.
Johnson also said that a further announcement on which areas of the UK will fall into which tier is likely to be made on Thursday.
According to media reports, new tiers will function as follows:
Tier 1
Most businesses will be allowed to operate, with nightclubs being one of the few exceptions.
Spectator sport can now resume outside with up to 4,000 people or 50 per cent of the usual capacity in presence, whichever is smaller.
Tier 2
Non-essential retail, gyms and the wider leisure sector are permitted to operate.
And the 10pm curfew affecting pubs and restaurants will be extended until 11pm, with last orders being placed at 10pm. However, only places serving food with drinks will be left open.
Entertainment facilities, such as casinos, museums, cinemas and theatres, can also open.
Up to 2,000 people will be permitted to gather for outdoor sports events.
Tier 3
Pubs and restaurants will be open only for takeaways and delivery.
Households will only be able to meet up in outdoor spaces.
The complete Covid-19 Winter Plan, published on the government website, expires at the end of March.
“I can’t say that Christmas will be normal this year”, Johnson told the Commons. “We all want some kind of Christmas, we need it , we certainly feel we deserve it. But what we don’t want is to throw caution to the winds and allow the virus to flare up again, forcing us back into lockdown in January.”
“So to allow families to come together, while minimising the risk, we are working with the devolved administrations on a special time-limited Christmas dispensations embracing the whole of the United Kingdom,” he said.
According to the government’s Covid Winter Plan, talks are underway with the administrations of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to agree a common approach to Christmas.
In his speech Boris Johnson also hailed a vaccine developed jointly by AstraZeneca and the University of Oxford, which just today was confirmed to be up to 90 per cent effective and cost as little as 2 per cent per dose.
Earlier, it was revealed that the UK had pre-ordered 100 million doses of the vaccine, with Boris Johnson promising that the NHS is preparing for a vaccination programme, “the likes of which you have never witnessed”.
The newly announced plan did not got well with his opponents and commentators.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer called the PM’s updated restrictions “risky” as the three-tier system previously led to the current lockdown.
Starmer noted that to impose it again “runs the risk of not getting buy-in from local leaders and local communities, which is incredibly important”.
Mail on Sunday columnist Dan Hodges said in a popular tweet:
“It’s pretty clear the extension of the circuit breaker was seen as too politically unpalatable, so it’s just been rebranded as Tier 3+.”