Coronavirus ‘running riot’ in UK as Boris Johnson mulls new national lockdown

Name: New Zealand’s strict, early Covid-19 lockdown among world's most cost-effective pandemic responses
Uploaded: 2020-10-31T11:10:50.000Z
Duration: 2 min 12 s
Description: New Zealand’s strict, early Covid-19 lockdown among world's most cost-effective pandemic responses

The PM is likely to announce the new measures on Monday after scientists said Covid-19 was spreading faster than their worst predictions

Johnson’s move could face opposition from Tory lawmakers who are concerned over the economic costs of the lockdown

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Photo: DPA

Reuters

Published: 7:10pm, 31 Oct 2020Updated: 6:16pm, 3 Nov 2020

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is considering imposing a new month-long national lockdown in England next week after scientists said the coronavirus was spreading faster than their worst predictions, a government official said.

The pandemic is spreading in most parts of Britain, where the official death toll of 46,299 is the highest in Europe.

The new measures were still under discussion, and no final decision had been made, the official said. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland run their own policies on fighting the pandemic.

Johnson is expected to hold a news conference on Monday to announce the new measures, which would allow only essential shops and schools, nurseries and universities to remain open, The Times newspaper said.

The prime minister’s office declined to comment.

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New Zealand’s strict, early Covid-19 lockdown among world's most cost-effective pandemic responses

The decision to impose a national lockdown would represent a dramatic change of policy for the prime minister who has insisted for months he did not believe such a move would be necessary.