The British government has adopted new containment measures to try to control the spread of a new variant of the New Coronavirus.
British Prime Minister Johnson announced new outbreak closure measures on Saturday (Dec. 19) in response to the rapid spread of a new variant of the New Coronavirus. The British government previously planned to ease the outbreak closure restrictions during the holiday season.
The new measures are planned to be in place from midnight Saturday in London and the southeast of England. Local people will be asked to stay at home unless there are urgent reasons such as work; non-urgent retail stores and leisure and entertainment facilities will be closed.
Prime Minister Johnson said at a press conference, “I know how much emotion people have poured into this time of the year. I know how disappointing it will be”, “but I have no choice.”
Chris Whitty, Britain’s chief medical officer, confirmed the same day that a new variant of the new coronavirus could spread at a faster rate in Britain if left unchecked and that cases of infection could spike. He said the new variant of the virus has increased its ability to spread by 70 percent compared to the past.
Whitty said there is no evidence that the mortality rate will increase as a result, or that the new variant of the virus may be more resistant to the newly approved vaccine, but the government is conducting urgent research.
Whitty said the U.K. has notified the World health Organization of the emergence of new variants of the virus. Matt Hancock, Britain’s health and social security minister, said Monday that the new variant of the virus was found in southern England.
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