Lockdown! London Goes into ‘High Alert’, Banning Households From Mixing Indoors

British capital London will be entering a tougher lockdown regime from Midnight Friday, and will be advised against using public transport if possible, among other restrictions.

Over ten million people across London and the adjacent county of Essex will wake up under a ‘high alert’ lockdown on Saturday morning, as the government orders the capital to take extra measures against coronavirus.

The new restrictions mean beyond the current rules, including groups of more than six people being banned from meeting and a 10 pm curfew on  pubs and restaurants, Londoners will now not be able to mix with other households anywhere indoors and will be advised against going on public transport except when absolutely necessary.

Sky News reported the remarks of London mayor Sadiq Khan as he discussed the new tighter lockdown for the city, when he said that the level had changed because corona is “spreading rapidly in every corner” of the city, and because of that it has been “deemed necessary”. The Labour mayor also took the chance to attack the government on what he called a “complete failure to get a working test, trace and isolate system in place”.

Mr Khan and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer both back a nationwide “circuit breaker” lockdown — in other words, again shutting the nation’s economy down in the hope of ending the coronavirus pandemic.

The change is one step down from the new highest coronavirus alert level set by the government, which is pursuing a policy of local lockdowns rather than again plunging the whole nation into a deeply damaging shutdown. At tier three — called ‘very high’ alert’, bars and pubs must close except for serving meals, mixing even outside is banned, and travelling from your local area to other parts of the country is discouraged.

British state broadcaster the BBC reports the city of Manchester is on the verge of going into ‘very high’ alert lockdown in the coming days. The Labour mayor of the city is said to be against the lockdown as it would damage businesses in the city, and local MPs have called for extra financial support for businesses if they do have to shut down again.

London going into lockdown follows Paris, which yesterday was placed on alert for another even harsher lockdown, with it and eight other French cities having nightly curfews. Between the hours of 9pm and 6am for at least four weeks, French residents will need a special permit to be outside of their own homes, or face a hefty fine.