The northeast of England is set to be placed under a curfew in a bid to quash a second wave of COVID-19, following an increase in infections and demand for tests. New restrictions in the region will force bars and pubs to close by 10pm and people will be banned from mixing with those outside their household.
The rules will come into force on Friday and will affect North and South Tyneside, Newcastle, Sunderland, Northumberland and County Durham.
The measures come after a second county in Wales this week went into lockdown.
LBC reporter Matthew Thompson said the latest raft of restrictions will alter daily life for almost 10 million Britons, hinting a second lockdown is gradually being rolled out.
He tweeted: “There are now approximately 9,914,500 people under some form of lockdown in the UK, according to an LBC analysis.
“Nearly 10 million people.
“That is 15 percent of the population, and includes parts of all four nations.
“Feels a bit like a second lockdown is already underway.”
On Wednesday the 240,000 inhabitants of Rhondda in Wales were told that from 6pm on Thursday they would have to abide by new rules.
READ MORE: Boris threatens second lockdown as coronavirus in elderly doubles
Ms Sturgeon said the Scottish Government was “carefully considering” whether new lockdown rules would be required “for all or parts of the country”.
Scotland’s R number, which should be below 1 to slow the spread of COVID-19, is estimated to be as high as 1.4.
And on Wednesday the country recorded its highest rise in coronavirus cases – 290 – since the peak of the pandemic on May 1.
Amid a surge in infections across the UK, the Prime Minister was on Wednesday asked if the country could afford another national shutdown.
Boris Johnson slapped down the notion, saying it would have a “disastrous” effect on the UK economy.
He cited new measures such as the “rule of six” as an example of the Government’s efforts to avoid another lockdown.
Mr Johnson said: “I don’t want a second national lockdown – I think it would be completely wrong for this country and we are going to do everything in our power to prevent it.
“And can we afford it? I very much doubt that the financial consequences would be anything but disastrous, but we have to make sure that we defeat the disease by the means that we have set out.
“So, when I see people arguing against the rule of six or saying that the government is coming in too hard on individual liberties and so on – I totally understand that and I sympathise with that, but we must, must defeat this disease.”
