London: Wales, in the south-west of the United Kingdom, on Monday announced a firebreak complete lockdown for just over two weeks starting this Friday amid a continued spike in coronavirus infections across the UK. The short, sharp shock of the temporary measures, to last until November 9, will take Wales back to the UK-wide tough restrictions introduced in March at the peak of the pandemic, with most businesses shutting, and people being told to stay at home and work from home where possible. Non-essential shops, tourism and hospitality businesses will have to close, except for takeaways, along with community centres, libraries and places of worship other than for funerals and weddings.
It will have to be sharp and deep in order to have the impact we need. Everyone in Wales will be required to stay at home. All non-essential businesses will have to close,” First Minister Mark Drakeford said at a press conference from the Welsh capital of Cardiff. “There are no easy choices in front of us as the virus spreads rapidly in every part of Wales,” he said.
The leader also announced a 300 million pound economic resilience fund to help businesses through the shutdown and said that every business covered by the small business rate relief will receive a 1,000- pound payment. Small and medium-sized retail, leisure and hospitality businesses that will be forced to shut their doors will be given a one-off payment of up to 5,000 pounds. The move, which had been in the works since last week, comes in as a further 16,982 people tested positive for the virus in the UK as of Sunday. Official government figures reveal 67 more deaths linked to the virus, assessed based on a 28-day timeline since a positive test, taking the UK’s coronavirus death toll past 43,600.
While Northern Ireland is already under similarly strict measures with a circuit breaker lockdown for four weeks starting last Friday, Scotland continues to draw up plans for a three-tier framework of restrictions, similar to England’s. However, the tier-system of medium, high and very high Covid alert levels continues to cause clashes between different parts of England, with many demanding more financial support before being put into Tier 3 or a complete shutdown. Greater Manchester in the north of England is continuing to resist the measures, with leaders working to try and break the stalemate.
“Delay I’m afraid will only make the situation worse, will only put people’s lives at risk, and will only make the economic fallout for the city worse in the long term,” said UK Communities Minister Robert Jenrick. “We do now need to take action. I hope that we can reach an agreement but one way or another, we need to draw this to a conclusion,” he said.
Last week, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson had said he may have to intervene if local leaders did not accept a move to tier three, indicating that the rules may have to be forcibly enforced. Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, who belongs to the Opposition Labour Party, had written to Johnson and other party leaders proposing a House of Commons debate and vote to “break the impasse” and establish a cross-party consensus on financial aid for Tier 3 areas.
“We’ve always said we’ll put people’s health first and we will do that, but health is about more than controlling the virus,” said Burnham, in reference to the talks which have become symbolic of a clash between the north and south of England. “I’m not going to roll over at the sight of a cheque,” he told Sky News’.
Downing Street warned that Greater Manchester’s intensive care capacity could be overwhelmed with COVID-19 cases by November 12 unless the tougher measures are imposed soon. While the devolved governments of the UK can set their own lockdown rules based on local requirements, the local authorities across England are expected to follow the rules set centrally. However, the government has been trying to work with the relative local authorities to establish a more harmonious system of lockdown measures.
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Source: News18