When is the October lockdown 2021? What is it, how long is it for and why do we need another lockdown or firebreak?

The suggested lockdown comes as a result of rising hospitalisations due to Covid-19 in recent weeks.

The firebreak would take place at the end of October, extending the October school half term to two weeks instead of one.

The October half term starts on Monday 25 October and is meant to end Friday 29 October, but the extension could mean it runs till November 8.

It has been reported that the Government is considering this 'firebreak' however it is not likely that they will implement a full lockdown like they put in place earlier this year.

Instead, social distancing measures and face masks may come back into place temporarily whilst the peak in hospital admissions declines.

These measures mirror what was suggested by SAGE- implementing a precautionary break in the easing of restrictions to combat a rise in infection rates.

It is believed that the closure of schools for the Summer holidays this year is what helped with the lifting of restrictions on July 19, and another break may limit the pressure put on the NHS over the winter months.

This has been supported by a rise in cases in Scotland since children returned to school after the Summer break last month.

Currently hospitalisations stand at 900 per day in England over the last two weeks.

If hospitalisations do not decrease during the possible 'firebreak' period in October, Government officials have suggested they may introduce additional measures such as restrictions on gatherings indoors and the closure of non-essential shops temporarily once more.

There may also be a return in travel restrictions, preventing many families from going on holiday during the half term break.

However the Government has suggested that this is unlikely and the extension of the October half term if hospitalisations continue to rise should help curb the incline.

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