British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday has formulated a new strategy to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic in the nation. Boris has formulated a new graded three-tier system of Covid-19 alert levels which are based on the coronavirus transmission rate. With this, the localized lockdown across England will be categorized into "medium, high, very high."
As the name suggests, a very high alert will be applied to those areas where the transmission rate is quick. In these areas, indoors and outdoors will be banned with a forced closure on pubs and other business-related to hospitality.
Boris, while addressing the Parliament said, the new categories are intended to "simplify and standardize" all the different lockdown rules already in place.
However, the new rules are yet to go for a debate in the House of Commons by MPs on Tuesday before enforcing them from Wednesday, to review and assess the system in a month's time.
"This is not how we want to live our lives, but this is the narrow path we have to tread between the social and economic trauma of a full lockdown and the massive human and indeed the economic cost of an uncontained epidemic," Boris told members of Parliament.
"I must warn the House the weeks and months ahead will continue to be difficult and will test the mettle of this country. I have no doubt at all that together we will succeed," he said.
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The first level of alert i.e. medium will cover most of the country and involve the current national lockdown measures of the "rule of six" on gatherings and hospitality sector shutdowns at 10 pm.
The next alert level, which is high, will involve restrictions already in place in some local areas with stricter bans on indoor mixing but outdoor mixing allowed within the rule of six numbers.
The "very high alert level" will apply where the state-funded National Health Service (NHS) could soon be under "unbearable pressure" without further restrictions, with Merseyside including the city of Liverpool falling into this highest grade.
PM Boris has also confirmed that most areas that are already subject to local restrictions will automatically move into the "high alert" category.