Nigel Farage says lockdown ‘doing greater harm to country’
England was first placed under a full national lockdown in March 2020, which lasted for several months. A second national lockdown was later declared for November 2020, and earlier this month Boris Johnson announced a third national lockdown for the country. The Government currently advises people to stay at home, and the guidance states people should only leave their homes for reasons deemed essential.
On January 14, 48,682 Covid cases were recorded in the UK, however the data suggests lockdown is starting to have an impact on the spread of Covid-19 in the UK.
Public Health England (PHE) data indicating infection rates have fallen across most regions in England across all age groups, apart from the over 80’s.
The latest figures also show almost three million people have now received their first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine in the UK.
However the figures also show more people are being admitted to hospitals and intensive care units with Covid-19.
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How long is lockdown three?
The first mandatory review date for the lockdown in England is expected to take place on Wednesday, January 20, but restrictions are unlikely to be eased on this date.
When the lockdown was first announced in early 2021, the Prime Minister suggested lockdown measures may start to be eased around the middle of February.
Mr Johnson said the vaccine rollout programme could help to reduce the restrictions in place in England.
Addressing plans to vaccinate the “top four priority groups”, Mr Johnson added: “If we succeed in vaccinating all those groups, we will have removed huge numbers of people from the path of the virus.
“And of course that will eventually enable us to lift many of the restrictions we’ve endured for so long.”
However, the current lockdown legislation voted on by MPs could allow for lockdown restrictions to last much longer than mid-February.
A Commons vote took place earlier in January, which approved the third national lockdown measures in England.
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The legislation outlined that restrictions could last until the end of March 2021, a detail which proved controversial among a number of MPs.
Cabinet Minister Michael Gove has also suggested the easing of lockdown measures may not be possible in the middle of February.
Mr Gove told Sky News: “We will keep these constantly under review, but we can’t predict with certainty that we will be able to lift restrictions in the week commencing February 15 to 22.
“What we will be doing is everything that we can to make sure that as many people as possible are vaccinated, so that we can begin to progressively lift restrictions.
“I think it is right to say that, as we enter March, we should be able to lift some of these restrictions, but not necessarily all.”
When lockdown measures do start to ease, the Prime Minister has indicated the measures will not be relaxed all at once.
He said earlier this month England’s exit from lockdown will “not be a big bang but a gradual unwinding”.
In the first national lockdown of 2020, the easing of measures in June saw the reopening of non-essential shops in England.
But it was not until July 4 that restaurants, pubs and other businesses within the hospitality industry were allowed to reopen.
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