12-19-2020, 12:33 PM
** 19-Dec-2020 World View: UK's Boris Johnson 'cancels Christmas' because of new virus variant
UK prime minister Boris Johnson has just given a nationwide speech to
the UK announcing a harsh new Christmas lockdown, requiring many
people to spend Christmas alone, and being described as "cancelling
Christmas."
Just two days ago, Johnson ridiculed the idea of a Christmas lockdown,
but says that the U-turn is required because scientists in the last
day have confirmed that the virus has mutated into a variant that is
spreading 70% faster than the previous variant. The new variant is
not more lethal, but it spreads much faster.
The new variant has been spreading rapidly in London and in eastern
England. The new lockdown is being imposed to prevent people from
carrying the new variant to other regions of England, in the hope of
slowing the spread of the new variant.
![[Image: 2.57175118.jpg]](https://image.assets.pressassociation.io/v2/image/production/49eda7f812ddee7aba93ab47c9cf799bY29udGVudHNlYXJjaCwxNjA4NDQxMDA4/2.57175118.jpg)
According to Johnson, they had been puzzled about why the virus had
been spreading more rapidly in eastern UK, and the confirmation of the
new variant solved the puzzle.
There are also numerous restrictions and lockdowns being announced
elsewhere, including Italy, France, Sweden, and Australia.
--- Sources:
-- New coronavirus variant – key questions answered
https://www.barrheadnews.com/news/nation...-answered/
(Press Association, UK, 19-Dec-2020)
-- Coronavirus live news: Boris Johnson announces new tier 4 and
tightens Christmas rules
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...19-cluster
(Guardian, London, 19-Dec-2020)
-- Speech - Prime Minister's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 19
December 2020
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/p...ember-2020
(UK Government, 19-Dec-2020)
UK prime minister Boris Johnson has just given a nationwide speech to
the UK announcing a harsh new Christmas lockdown, requiring many
people to spend Christmas alone, and being described as "cancelling
Christmas."
Just two days ago, Johnson ridiculed the idea of a Christmas lockdown,
but says that the U-turn is required because scientists in the last
day have confirmed that the virus has mutated into a variant that is
spreading 70% faster than the previous variant. The new variant is
not more lethal, but it spreads much faster.
The new variant has been spreading rapidly in London and in eastern
England. The new lockdown is being imposed to prevent people from
carrying the new variant to other regions of England, in the hope of
slowing the spread of the new variant.
- Growth of Covid-19 rates in different regions of England and
UK (UK Press Association)
According to Johnson, they had been puzzled about why the virus had
been spreading more rapidly in eastern UK, and the confirmation of the
new variant solved the puzzle.
There are also numerous restrictions and lockdowns being announced
elsewhere, including Italy, France, Sweden, and Australia.
--- Sources:
-- New coronavirus variant – key questions answered
https://www.barrheadnews.com/news/nation...-answered/
(Press Association, UK, 19-Dec-2020)
-- Coronavirus live news: Boris Johnson announces new tier 4 and
tightens Christmas rules
https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2...19-cluster
(Guardian, London, 19-Dec-2020)
-- Speech - Prime Minister's statement on coronavirus (COVID-19): 19
December 2020
https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/p...ember-2020
(UK Government, 19-Dec-2020)
