Leeds enters new national lockdown as Boris Johnson announces stricter Covid measures

The Prime Minister has shut schools to most students in England to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed by surging coronavirus infections.

In a televised address to the nation on Monday night, the Prime Minister told the nation to stay indoors other than for limited exceptions, with measures expected to last until mid-February.

And the Prime Minister bowed to significant pressure to order primary schools, secondaries and colleges to move to remote teaching for the majority of students from Tuesday.

Mr Johnson said the new variant – which is 50% to 70% more transmissible – was spreading in a “frustrating and alarming” manner.

“As I speak to you tonight, our hospitals are under more pressure from Covid than at any time since the start of the pandemic,” he said.

The lockdown will be brought into law as soon as possible, but Mr Johnson urged the public to follow the rules straight away.

What does it mean for Leeds?

The new national lockdown will replace Tier 3 measures which were in place across Yorkshire.

Cases in Leeds remain much lower than London and the South East, however the infection rate has begun to rise quickly.

The infection rate in Leeds has risen to 253.5 new cases per 100,000 people, up 36.4 per cent from last week.

And coronavirus is spreading faster in some areas of the city.

The latest figures from NHS England show there were 145 Covid-19 patients in Leeds hospitals as of December 29.

This remains lower than the peak in November, where up to 331 coronavirus patients were recorded.

How long is the lockdown expected to last?

Boris Johnson suggested England could “steadily” move out of lockdown from mid-February.

Urging caution about the timetable, he said: “If our understanding of the virus doesn’t change dramatically, once again, if the rollout of the vaccine programme continues to be successful, if deaths start to fall as the vaccine takes effect and – critically – if everyone plays their part by following the rules, then I hope we can steadily move out of lockdown, reopening schools after the February half-term and starting cautiously to move regions down the tiers.”

Mr Johnson’s statement came after the chief medical officers for the first time raised the UK to the highest level on the Covid-19 alert system.

They warned the NHS is at risk of being overwhelmed within 21 days “in several areas” without further action.

The restrictions are unlikely to be eased until around 13 million people aged over 70 or classed as clinically extremely vulnerable have received the vaccine and been given enough time to be protected – a period of about two to three weeks after getting the jab.

What are the new rules in full?

Strong stay at home messaging will return, with leaving only permitted for limited exceptions such as shopping for necessities including food and medicine.

The public were told to work from home unless it is impossible to do so, such as for critical workers and those in the construction industry.

Exercise will be permitted with household or support bubble members or with one other person from another household, but is advised to be limited to only once per day and carried out locally.

The remaining exceptions to going outside are to seek medical help, provide assistance to a vulnerable person, to receive medical care or to flee a threat of harm.

Non-essential shops will have to close, but early years settings such as nurseries and childminders are allowed to remain open and existing childcare bubbles can stay in place.

Exams will again face disruption as schools close to all those other than for the children of key workers and vulnerable children until after the February half-term. University students will not be allowed to return to their institutions.

Restaurants and other hospitality venues can continue delivery or takeaway services but will no longer be permitted to serve alcohol.

Outdoor gyms, tennis courts and golf courses must close and outdoor team sports will be prohibited.

But Premier League football and other elite sports with testing regimes and bubbles in place will be allowed to continue.

The clinically vulnerable who were previously told to shield should stay at home and only leave for medical appointments and exercise.

The regulations are expected to be laid before Parliament on Tuesday, with MPs retrospectively being given a vote after they are recalled early from the Christmas break on Wednesday.

Mr Johnson briefed his Cabinet on the measures on Monday evening and also spoke to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer.