Britons had only a few hours between the announcement of the new restrictions and their implementation to do their last-minute Christmas shopping. A growing number of countries are suspending rail and air travel with Britain because of the new, more aggressive strain of coronavirus. The Prime Minister of Slovakia fell ill after communicating with the President of France, and Australia is reintroducing restrictions. This and other news about the coronavirus situation around the world can be found in our daily roundup.
According to Johns Hopkins University, since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, 76.8 million people worldwide have been infected and nearly 1.7 million have died. Currently, approximately 34 million people are infected in all countries combined. The top three countries in terms of number of cases and deaths remain unchanged: the United States, Brazil and India. Russia ranks fourth in terms of the number of people infected.
The Netherlands, Belgium and Italy have banned all flights from the UK until at least early January. Representatives of the World Health Organization say they are in constant contact with the authorities of the United Kingdom regarding the emergence of a new strain of the virus VUI-202012/01, which causes Covid-19, in the country. The British side will keep the World Health Organization informed about the progress of the research on the new type of virus, while the WHO will inform the public about the development of the situation. Outside the UK, nine cases of the new strain have already been detected in Denmark, one in the Netherlands and one in Australia, according to the WHO. In the evening, the Ministry of Health in Italy reported the discovery of a patient with the same variant of the virus, who also arrived from the UK a few days ago. So far, the mutated virus is known to spread faster than the previously known variant, but scientists do not believe it is more deadly or causes more severe symptoms. In a recent statement, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, citing scientific advisors, said the new strain could be 70% more contagious than the previous one. There is also no evidence that the new strain will be resistant to the vaccines already used in many countries around the world. Growing list of countries, mostly in Europe, has closed and will soon close communication with the UK. On Monday morning, EU countries will discuss common responses to the emergence of a new variant of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom. In Russia, such a decision has not yet been made. “The situation is under the control of the operational headquarters for preventing the import and spread of the new coronavirus infection. Any decisions made will be announced separately,” said TASS in the operational headquarters for combating the coronavirus infection. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will hold a meeting of the government’s Cobra crisis committee on Monday. In particular, the continuity of cargo flows to and from the UK will be discussed, the government’s press secretary said.
We explain quickly, simply, and clearly what happened, why it matters, and what happens next. эпизоды – Episodes End of story Podcast advertising
Almost the entire southeastern region of England, including London, was placed under the highest – fourth – level of epidemiological threat yesterday, which essentially means a strict quarantine. Previously promised measures to ease restrictions over the Christmas period have been cancelled by the authorities. In the rest of England, as well as in Scotland and Wales, restrictions on household mixing will be lifted for only one day – Christmas Day, December 25. In addition, the borders of Scotland will be closed to entry and exit throughout the holiday period. From midnight on Sunday, all shops were closed, except for those selling essential goods, hairdressers, beauty salons, sports and entertainment facilities. Meetings between people who live at different addresses are forbidden, and communication in public spaces has also been minimized: instead of the previous rule of six people, only two people can meet on the street, maintaining social distance. Yesterday, hundreds of opponents of harsh measures gathered in the square near the Houses of Parliament in central London. Police arrested dozens of demonstrators. Several police officers were injured in the clashes.
The police will monitor the compliance of passengers with the new government regulations at train stations and in the subway. Since the announcement of the new lockdown, the British have essentially had a few hours to make final preparations for the holidays. On Sunday, British Health Minister Matt Hancock announced that the police will monitor to ensure that no one tries to leave the areas categorized as level four threat. This measure is related to the riots in London train stations that occurred shortly after the announcement of stricter measures: there are no tickets left at the ticket offices of the largest stations or online. Thousands of people are trying to reunite with relatives, especially elderly parents, before Christmas. Yesterday, photos and videos surfaced on social media showing hundreds of passengers literally storming a train at London’s St. Pancras station bound for Leeds, a city in northern England. According to Hancock, police officers will now be stationed at airports, train stations, and bus stations with the authority to stop people for inspection and persuade them not to travel. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, stated that the passenger chaos that occurred was a direct result of how chaotic the authorities were in announcing the tightening measures. He said that he understood people’s motives, but that government regulations had to be followed.
Italy imposes another nationwide lockdown for the holidays, declaring almost the entire country a “red zone”. All shops except grocery stores and pharmacies, bars and restaurants are closed, and movement within and between provinces is strictly limited. Closures have also been announced in Germany and the Netherlands. The only relief for Germans is that on December 25, each family will be allowed to receive no more than four close relatives living at different addresses. Austrian authorities have decided to allow their citizens to celebrate Christmas without major restrictions, but strict measures will also be introduced in the country from December 26: shops will be closed, leaving the house will only be allowed for valid reasons, including going shopping, visiting the doctor and walking dogs. The office of French President Emmanuel Macron announced Sunday that the head of state, who recently contracted the coronavirus, is feeling satisfactory. He is still experiencing symptoms such as cough and fatigue, but continues to work.
Slovak Prime Minister Igor Matovic contracted the coronavirus after attending the EU summit last week. In the photo: Matovic is seen talking with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Last week, Macron attended the EU summit in Brussels. After he was diagnosed with Covid-19, many politicians who had been in contact with him went into self-isolation. And the prime minister of Slovakia, Igor Matovic, announced that his test for coronavirus was positive. Australia reinstates restrictions in its most populous state, New South Wales, with Sydney as its capital. Residents of the state are once again being told not to leave their homes without a valid reason. Gatherings inside homes are allowed with no more than 10 people. Restaurants are currently operating as normal, but the number of people inside at any one time is limited.