British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said his government’s plans to ease coronavirus restrictions over Christmas would have to be dropped because of a rise in cases fuelled by a new variant of Covid-19.
“Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, the potential risk it poses, it is with a very heavy heart I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned,” Johnson told a news conference.
People in areas covered by a new top Tier 4 of coronavirus restrictions will no longer be able to mix with other households, and those in other areas will now only be able to meet on one day instead of five.