But he stopped short of calling for all schools across the country to be closed.
Sir Keir criticised the Prime Minister after he hinted tougher new COVID-19 restrictions could soon be enforced.
He said: “There’s no good the Prime Minister hinting that further restrictions are coming into place in a week, or two or three.
“That delay has been the source of so many problems.
“So, I say bring in those restrictions now, national restrictions, within the next 24 hours.
“That has to be the first step towards controlling the virus.”
Sir Keir also said the coronavirus vaccine being rolled out throughout the country is “our great hope”.
He called on the Government to do everything within its power to ensure two million Brions a week have been vaccinated by the end of January.
The Labour leader said: “I want the Government to throw everything it can at this, harnessing the extraordinary talents of our NHS so we can be vaccinating at least two million Brits a week by the end of the month.”
The number of COVID-19 cases in Liverpool has trebled in the past two weeks to 350 per 100,000, despite the city successfully leading on the national pilot for community testing, which saw it also become the first city to drop down to Tier 2 from Tier 3.
The latest call for a national lockdown was made in a statement from the city council, from Cllr Wendy Simon and Cabinet Member for Public Health, Cllr Paul Brant.
They said: “It is clear that the country is now at a crossroads with Covid-19.
“The stark reality is that today this virulent new strain of the virus is very much on the rise and we need to act now to prevent a crisis that will unleash even more pain and anguish.
“We need the government to listen to those at the frontline, both in our hospitals and frontline services.
“We as a nation can cope with a lockdown. We have before and we can again. The quicker we move into one now, the more lives will be saved and the quicker a recovery will be.
“Yes, there will be pain for our retail and hospitality sectors, but they want long term security and a strong recovery and a lockdown provides both.
“An additional package of welfare and economic support will also be needed, especially to protect the most vulnerable.”
This is a breaking story. More to follow…
