Second national lockdown announced as shops and pubs to close - what Boris Johnson said in speech

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a raft of 'strict new measures' on Saturday evening that he said was aimed at tackling rising Covid infection rates.

He said: "No responsible PM can ignore the message of those figures.

"We know the cost of these restrictions, the impact on jobs, livelihoods and people's mental health. Nobody wants to be imposing these measures anywhere.

"I want to thank the millions of people who have been putting up with these restrictions in their areas for so long. I want to thank local leaders who have stepped up and local communities. The R has been kept lower than it otherwise would have been. We will continue to adopt a pragmatic and local approach in the months ahead.

"But we have also seen we have got to be humbled in the face of nature. The virus is spreading even faster than the worst case scenario. Unless we act we could see death running in this country at several thousand a day and a mortality, alas, bigger than we saw in April. It's now clear that the current projections mean hospitals in the south west will run out of capacity in a matter of weeks unless we act. The overrunning of the NHS would be a disaster.

"The huge exponential growth in patients would mean that doctors and nurses would be forced to choose who to treat, who would get oxygen and who wouldn't. Who would live and who would die. The sheer weight of Covid demand would mean depriving millions of patients and non-Covid patients the care that they need.

"If we let the lines on that graph grow in the way that they could, the risk is that for the first time in our lives the NHS will not be there for us and our families. Even if I could double capacity overnight, it still would not be enough. Because the virus is doubling faster than we can conceivably add capacity. Now is the time to take action because there is no alternative."

-> Leeds reacts as Boris Johnson makes speechThe move comes just days after Tier 3 lockdown was announced for Leeds. Although the measures are not being called national lockdown or Tier 4, the new restrictions are effectively in line with a new national lockdown.

What we know right now:

The tougher package of national measures which will be time limited.

They will come into effect 00.01 Thursday and seek to end on Dec 2 but that will depend on the data.

You will be able to meet one person outside your household

People can only leave home for specific reasons and they include for education, work if you cannot work from home, for exercise and recreation outdoors, medical reasons, to escape injury or harm, to shop for food and essentials and to provide care for vulnerable people.

Workplaces should stay open where people cannot work from home, eg construction and manufacturing.

Non-essential shops and leisure venues will all be closed, click and collect can continue and essential shops will remain open so 'there is no need to stock up;

Pubs, bars and restaurants must also close except for takeaway and delivery services

Support bubbles remain intact - single adult households with one other household

Children can still move homes if their parents are separated

Schools, colleges, and universities will remain open

Furlough has been extended through November, until December

Furlough starts on Thursday, ends on December 2 along with the restrictions

Why are these measures being brought in?