Today, Monday 4th January 2021, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a new lockdown across England from Tuesday 5th January until at least 15th February, following similar measures in Scotland.
Primary schools, secondary schools and colleges will be going back to online learning only – excepting vulnerable children and children of essential workers, who may still attend school. All pupils will switch to remote learning until the February half-term.
Students will not be able to return to university and will be expected to study online from their current residence until mid-February. In-person teaching can take place for a limited number of critical courses, such as medicine.
Clinically extremely vulnerable people are again urged to shield and should not go to work even if they cannot work from home.
Everyone must stay at home, and may leave only for a limited set of reasons, which include:
– For work, if you cannot work from home;
– For exercise and recreation outdoors;
– For all medical reasons, appointments and to escape injury or harm;
– To shop for food and essentials;
– And to provide care for vulnerable people, or as a volunteer.
Most business must again close, with only some businesses permitted to stay open – this includes those providing essential goods or services, including: food shops, supermarkets, and certain other retailers providing essential goods and services.
Essential retail should follow COVID-secure guidelines to protect customers, visitors and workers.
Commenting on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a new, national lockdown in England, and following the implementation of a lockdown in Scotland earlier today, BCC Director General Adam Marshall said:
“Businesses will understand why the Prime Minister has felt compelled to act on the spiralling threat to public health, but they will be baffled and disappointed by the fact that he did not announce additional support for affected businesses alongside these new restrictions.
“The lockdowns announced in England and Scotland today are a body blow to our business communities, hard on the heels of lost trade during the festive season and uncertainty linked to the end of the Brexit transition period. Tens of thousands of firms are already in a precarious position, and now face a period of further hardship and difficulty.
“Billions have already been spent helping good firms to survive this unprecedented crisis and to save jobs. These businesses must not be allowed to fail now, when the vaccine rollout provides light at the end of this long tunnel. The financial support for businesses needs to be stepped up in line with the devastating restrictions being placed on them. Otherwise, many of these firms may simply not be there to power our recovery when we emerge once again.
“Enhanced support for businesses, a turbo-charged vaccine rollout, and delivery of existing promises on mass testing must be delivered to enable the UK to restart, rebuild and renew.”
"Businesses will be baffled and disappointed by the fact that the Prime Minister did not announce additional support for affected businesses alongside these new restrictions."
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