Coronavirus news: Boris Johnson postpones further lockdown lifting as Scottish people told not to visit areas of northern England
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Boris Johnson has postponed the next stage of easing lockdown restrictions planned for Saturday, which would have seen the return of casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks, indoor performances and wedding receptions for up to 30 people.
The prime minister also announced pilots of sporting events with crowds and gatherings in conference centres will be delayed.
Face coverings will become mandatory in places such as museums, galleries, cinemas and places of worship in England from 8 August, Mr Johnson said on Friday.
Meanwhile, Nicola Sturgeon warned Scottish people not to travel to parts of northern England hit by a spike in coronavirus cases unless their trip is “absolutely essential”.
Her comments come after the UK government imposed tougher lockdown restrictions in the areas affected, with people from different households in Greater Manchester, parts of East Lancashire and West Yorkshire banned from meeting each other indoors again.
The UK health secretary said these new restrictions on gatherings – which were announced shortly before the Muslim festival of Eid-al-Adha – were not aimed at curtailing celebration, but that ”immediate action” was needed in these areas.
Muslim leaders slammed the government for giving ”shockingly short notice” for the ban on different households mixing inside their homes or gardens in parts of northern England.
Further easing of lockdown postponed
Boris Johnson has announced further easing of lockdown restrictions planned for 1 August will no longer go ahead as planned.
The prime minister said they would be postponed for at least a fortnight until 15 August.
This includes plans to reopen casinos, bowling alleys, skating rinks, to allow indoor performances to resume, and to allow wedding receptions of up to 30 people.
Sports events to pilot the return of fans have also been cancelled.
He told a Downing Street press conference: "I've consistently warned this virus could come back and we would not hesitate to take swift and divisive action."
Mr Johnson says the new restrictions in the north of England shouldn't be seen as a return to lockdown.
He says children going back to school is the right thing and that it should be a national priority.
The PM says the government will implement local lockdowns as necessary to stop the spread of the virus.
Boris Johnson has announced that the designated sporting events to pilot the safe return of fans this weekend will no longer go ahead as scheduled due to fears of a coronavirus second wave.
The wearing of face coverings will become mandatory in cinemas, museums, and places of worship from next weekend, Boris Johnson has announced.
The prime minister said regulations would be extended to cover the new areas from Saturday 8 August.
Plans to pause shielding will go ahead as planned and people are still being encouraged to return to work, the prime minister said.
More details on this are expected to come later today.
Ministers have been accused of spreading confusion and anxiety over the new lockdown guidance for northern England after a “deeply chaotic” late-night announcement just hours before the rules came into effect.
Shadow foreign secretary Lisa Nandy said she “could not describe the level of chaos” in her Wigan constituency resulting from the announcement, which created new legal offences enforceable by police and carrying fines of up to £100 with less than three hours’ notice.
And Conservative MPs in the affected area raised protests about the inclusion of parts of Greater Manchester where rates of Covid-19 infection remain low.
Professor Chris Whitty says we have "reached the limits" in terms of opening up society.
He added: "The idea that we can open up everything and keep the virus under control is clearly wrong."
Mr Johnson admitted the government should be explaining things as clearly as possible, after there was confusion over last night's announcement about the north of England.
He said: "Of course we've got to make sure that we explain things as crisply and as clearly as we can."
The prime minister reiterated his new mantra of "hands, face, space, get a test".
The return of wedding receptions and indoor entertainment venues in England has been postponed from 1 August to at least 15 August in response to a rise in coronavirus cases, Boris Johnson has announced.
Govt will 'come down hard' on workplaces that aren't Covid secure
Mr Johnson told the briefing: "I want to see people discussing with their employers whether they can work from home.
"But if employers think and employees think to be productive you need to be at your place of work then that’s a very important consideration and it is safe to get into a Covid-secure workplace.
"It goes without saying, if people feel that there workplace isn’t secure then the HSE is there to enforce it. If employers don’t keep their workplaces Covid secure then that’s a matter that can be enforced in law and we will come down hard on people who are not doing the right thing."
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