PM: ‘England will once again go into a National Lockdown’

Boris Johnson has announced a new national lockdown for England, with people urged to “stay at home” as they did during March’s first lockdown.

The prime minister revealed the action in a TV address on Monday night, after being told that COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly in every part of the country due to the new coronavirus variant.

The public are being asked to follow the new rules, which replace the tiers system, from this evening.

People across the whole country will be told to stay at home apart from five exceptions:

• for work, if people cannot work from home, such as those in the construction sector or key workers
• to shop for necessities such as food or medicines
• to exercise once per day at a local location. This can include with one other person from outside someone’s household or support/childcare bubble
• to provide care or help to vulnerable people
• to attend medical appointments or medical care, or to flee the threat of harm or violence.

All primary schools, secondary schools and colleges will move to online learning from tomorrow.

This is breaking news more to come