England lockdown is happening, according to U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson. He defended this decision, saying there was "no alternative."
England lockdown was announced by Johnson on Saturday. The one-month lockdown would be in effect from Nov. 5 until Dec. 2. The new measures urge people to stay at home unless it is for essential purposes, such as medical reasons, education, and shopping for groceries.
Meanwhile, England has to shut down bars, pubs, and restaurants except for takeout and delivery. Industries where working from home is not possible like construction and manufacturing can continue operating. The restrictions only apply to England. Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland implement their rules.
“The modeling presented by our scientists suggests that without action we could see up to twice as many deaths over the winter as we saw in the first wave. Faced with these latest figures, there is no alternative but to take further action at a national level," said Johnson.
Data from Johns Hopkins University reported that the U.K. recently passed 1 million confirmed Covid-18 cases, with deaths increasing to 46,807. It posted a record 26,707 infections on Oct. 21. However, the number of deaths is far from its condition during the peak of the outbreak in April.
“I make absolutely no apology whatever for doing my level best — our level best as a government — to avoid going back into a national lockdown,” Johnson said Monday.
He noted that Labour Party Leader Keir Starmer “should stop continuously knocking” the government’s track-and-trace scheme “because we need people to self-isolate.”
Johnson explained Members of Parliament (MPs) could vote on further restrictions when the second lockdown ends on Dec. 2.
The U.K. government will also extend a program that assists furloughed employees until December.
Meanwhile, Finance Minister Rishi Sunak announced on Monday that the government would also expand financial support for the self-employed to 80% of their trading profits this month, an increase from a previous cap of 40%. He explained that the deadlines for applying to the government’s pandemic loan schemes would carry on until Jan. 31, 2021.
Furlough scheme
In September, the Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey has called on the UK government to “stop and rethink” its current furlough scheme.
The Bank of England governor wants the UK government to re-examine the furlough scheme, called the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, which allows employees placed on leave to receive up to 80% of their pay, up to a maximum of £2,500 a month.
Initially paid by the government, firms are now contributing part of the wages for those under the scheme. Almost 10 million workers have benefited from the program but it will end on October 31.
In August, Bailey supported ending the current scheme, arguing that workers should be helped to transfer to another work rather than stay in unproductive jobs.
However, while speaking on a webinar hosted by the British Chambers of Commerce, Bailey pointed out that some sectors may benefit from continued targeted assistance.
Leading business groups in the UK have warned that if the furlough scheme is not extended, the country may face a second wave of job cuts.
According to business groups, the UK risks additional job cuts and a slower economic recovery if it fails to extend the current furlough scheme.
Manufacturing body Make UK argued that the furlough scheme should be extended beyond October for sectors that have been hit hard by the effects of the coronavirus pandemic and are already experiencing workforce reductions.
