Boris Johnson has imposed a third national lockdown across England and shut schools to most students to prevent the NHS being overwhelmed by surging coronavirus infections.
In a televised address to the nation on this evening (Monday), the Prime Minister told the nation to stay indoors other than for limited exceptions, with measures expected to last until at least mid-February.
In a U-turn from earlier statements, The Prime Minister ordered primary and secondary schools and colleges to move to remote teaching for the majority of students from Tuesday.
Scroll down for a full list of the new restrictions...
He said: "Primary and secondary schools and colleges across England must move to remote prevision from tomorrow, except for vulnerable children or children of key workers.
"We recognise this means it is not possible for exams to go ahead as normal this summer and we will provide extra support for pupils entitled to free school meals.
"We have been doing everything in our power to keep schools open and I want to stress the problem is not that schools are unsafe, it is that they may act as vectors for transmission."
The video of Mr Johnson's address begins at 2 minutes and 15 seconds:
Mr Johnson’s statement came after the chief medical officers for the first time raised the UK to the highest level on the Covid-19 alert system.
They warned the NHS is at risk of being overwhelmed within 21 days without further action.
He told people to stay at home, unless for specific permitted reasons, including essential shopping, to work, if you cannot work from home, to exercise, to seek medical help, and to escape domestic abuse.
The Prime Minister was optimistic of brighter days on the horizon, adding: "If deaths begin to fall as the vaccines take effect and, critically, if everyone plays their part, we hope we can cautiously begin to move regions down the tiers.
"This is a pivotal moment - the weeks ahead will be the hardest yet, I believe we are entering the end of the struggle — thanks to the miracle of science, we now know how to reach the end.
"You must stay at home, protect NHS and save lives."
A full list of the new restrictions
- People can't leave their homes except for reasons of neccesity.
- These include essential medical needs, food shopping, exercise and work for those who cannot do so from home.
- You can exercise in a public outdoor place by yourself, with people you live with or your support bubble, or on your own with one person from another household.
- All schools and colleges will close to most pupils from Tuesday with remote learning until February half term.
- Early years settings such as nurseries will stay open.
- End-of-year exams will not take place this summer as normal.
- Elsewhere, most university students should not return to campuses and will be taught online.
- Restaurants can continue to offer delivery for food, but takeaway alcohol will be banned.
- Outdoor sports venues - such as golf courses, tennis courts and outside gyms - must close.
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