Boris Johnson has announced a new national lockdown for England - with people instructed to "stay at home" as they did during last March's first shutdown.
The prime minister revealed the action in an eight-minute TV address on Monday night, after being told that COVID-19 cases are rising rapidly in every part of the country due to the new coronavirus variant.
The public are being asked to follow the new rules, which replace the tiers system, from this evening.
It is expected the new lockdown in England - the third time a national shutdown has been introduced - will last until the middle of February.
Mr Johnson expressed his hope that, at this point, the most vulnerable will have all been offered the first dose of a vaccine.
England is entering a third national lockdown
From tonight, people across the whole country must now stay at home apart from five exceptions:
• for work, if people cannot work from home, such as those in the construction sector or key workers • to shop for necessities such as food or medicines • to exercise once per day at a local location. This can include with one other person from outside someone's household or support/childcare bubble • to provide care or help to vulnerable people • to attend medical appointments, get medical care or a coronavirus test, or to flee the threat of harm or violence.
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