Coronavirus Live Briefing, Nicola Sturgeon: Complete lockdown to mainland Scotland

The school leave period has been extended until January 11.

Learning will be online until at least January 18th.

Schools will remain open to children of the main workers.

Nicola Sturgeon reveals Level 4 measures of Coronavirus are in effect across mainland Scotland on Boxing Day for three weeks.

Islands including Shetland and Orkney are exempt.

She said measures must be taken immediately to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, especially the new strain which appears to be spreading at a “ severe rate ” across England and Wales.

“If I can get my time back, I will act more quickly,” she said.

We are doing nothing now or doing very little now, things will get worse, and much worse than they should be.

This measure is designed to prevent further this new strain from entering Scotland and given that we know it is present in Scotland, this measure is designed to prevent the risk of it spreading further.

Redouble efforts to stick to the facts – stick to restrictions and stay out of other people’s homes

A strict travel ban will be imposed between England and Scotland – people in Scotland cannot visit other parts of the UK and vice versa – the police will be required to enforce this.

Strong advice against unnecessary overseas travel

The five-day period changes from December 23 to 27 and you can mix indoors in a ‘bubble’ on Christmas Day only

The advice remains not to meet others indoors, even on Christmas Day, if this can be avoided.

Scots can travel on Christmas Day if needed, but not if they have to spend the night away from their home.

After a briefing from Boris Johnson where evidence of a new strain of Covid is rapidly spreading, Scotland’s prime minister is hosting an unscheduled conference to modernize the nation at Christmas.

She said the country should take the new strain “very seriously and act accordingly and appropriately.” She said that “very resolute preventive measures are required” after a meeting of four countries held this afternoon.

The prime minister said Scotland is not showing a spike in cases at the moment, but there is evidence the new strain could be 70% more transmissible.

She said the new strain would be “a grave danger if we do not move quickly.”

The new virus strain is on the rise rapidly

London, parts of southeast England and Wales will enter Alert Level 4 tonight

The work supports the new rules

Urging people not to leave the house today before level 4

Hairdressers, gyms and non-essential retail will be closed at level 4 tonight

Relaxing the rules will only be possible on Christmas Day, PM says.

The five-day Christmas Waiver period has been canceled for those who live in Tier 4 areas, but those in Support Bubbles have been exempted.

The PM assures those who live in Level 4 not to mix with anyone outside their home on Christmas.

The emergence of evidence of a new type of coronavirus that is spreading rapidly led to an unscheduled conference held by Boris Johnson this afternoon where he declared that tightening restrictions is necessary after recent scientific findings.

He said: “Given the early evidence that we have of this new type of virus and the potential risks it poses, I must tell you with a very heavy heart that we cannot continue Christmas as planned.”

London and other counties in England that were in Level 3 will move to the new Level 4 from tomorrow due to the rapid spread of a new variant of the Coronavirus.

Here are the main changes that will be made:

Non-essential retail stores, indoor gyms and leisure facilities will be closed in these areas.

Persons in Level 4 will not be permitted to travel abroad except for “limited exceptions”, for example for business purposes.

The five-day Christmas waiver period is canceled at Level 4, but those in Support Bubbles are excused.

The Prime Minister said: “I fear that we look again at Christmas, and as Prime Minister, it is my duty to make difficult decisions to do the right thing and protect the people of this country.”

Given the early evidence we have of this new type of virus and the potential dangers it poses, I must tell you with a very heavy heart that we cannot go on Christmas as planned.

In England, those who live in Tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside of their home at Christmas, although bubbles of support will remain in place for those at particular risk of loneliness or isolation.

Across the country, Christmas rules that allow up to three families to meet on Christmas Day will be restricted only, instead of the five days as previously defined.

“As before, there will be no relaxation on January 31st, so people should not break the rules in the new year.”

Scottish Prime Minister Nicola Sturgeon will hold a press conference after a cabinet meeting about the new mutated strain of the Coronavirus.

Sturgeon warned that “preventive measures” may have to be imposed to stop the “rapidly spreading strain”.

Professor Whitty urges Level 4 people to stay home, saying “This isn’t a really superfluous travel time.”

England’s chief medical officer said people considering leaving Tier 4 areas for Christmas should make their plans there and stay home.

He said, “My short answer would be,” Please untie it at this point. “

If they were to go with this new variant, unintentionally, to an area of ​​low prevalence and it starts to spread further outside of the high prevalence areas that would pose a great risk to the area they went to.

“This is why we are really careful not to leave people out of these areas.”

The BBC’s Laura Queensberg asks why the prime minister has changed his plans – just three days after he said it would be “inhuman” to “cancel Christmas”.

The prime minister answers, “We are bitterly sorry” for the situation, but “when the facts change, you have to change your approach.”

It is impossible to ignore the evidence that the new virus is spreading rapidly, and scientific evidence suggests that swift action is needed.

He added: “When the virus changes its method of attack, we must change our defense approach.”