Boris Johnson orders England-wide coronavirus lockdown with health system pushed to breaking point

Boris Johnson has imposed a third coronavirus lockdown across England, shutting schools and ordering the public to stay at home, amid dire warnings that the National Health Service is being pushed to breaking point.

The full emergency lockdown will start immediately and last until at least February 15, potentially devastating retail and hospitality businesses and threatening to push the economy into a double-dip recession, as doctors try to get a grip on the pandemic.

In a televised address to the nation, the prime minister insisted he had no option but to close down all social activities, education and non-essential travel in the face of a sudden and severe surge in infections.

“Our hospitals are under more pressure from Covid[-19] than at any time since the start of the pandemic,” Johnson said in the broadcast. “With most of the country already under extreme measures it’s clear that we need to do more to to bring this new variant under control while our vaccines are rolled out.”

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Boris Johnson imposes third coronavirus lockdown for England

Boris Johnson imposes third coronavirus lockdown for England

Under the rules announced on Monday:

• Everyone must stay at home unless they are medical or other key workers who cannot work from home
• People can only leave home to buy essential supplies or take exercise, ideally only once a day
• All primary and secondary schools and colleges will close from Tuesday and move to online teaching. Exams will not go ahead as normal this summer
• Households cannot mix for purely social reasons, anywhere
• All restaurants, bars and non-essential shops will stay closed, except where they sell takeaway food. Sales of takeaway alcohol will be banned
• Essential retailers such as supermarkets and pharmacies, and nurseries will remain open