MILLIONS of Brits are heading right into a strict Tier 4 lockdown, the PM has introduced.
Boris Johnson revealed tougher measures are needed to combat a rogue new strain of Covid – often called VUI202012/01 – which is 70 per cent more contagious.
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Thousands and thousands of individuals in London and the south-east are actually in Tier 4Credit score: PA:Press Affiliation
Circumstances within the UK have handed the 2 million mark
In London, the variety of constructive assessments has doubled – and 60 per cent of these are the brand new pressure.
It comes as:
Locations in Tier 4 embrace Kent, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Surrey (excluding Waverley), the boroughs of Gosport, Havant, Portsmouth, Rother and Hastings, all 32 London boroughs and the town of London.
Bedford, Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Luton, Peterborough
Hertfordshire and Essex (excluding Colchester, Uttlesford and Tendring) are additionally Tier 4.
This night, Mark Drakeford has introduced Wales will fall below the identical measures, which can start at midnight – and warned individuals are actually dealing with “a pandemic inside a pandemic, a disaster inside a disaster”.
And Scotland is limiting family mixing to Christmas Day solely, whereas a travel ban between Scotland and the rest of the UK will stay in place over Christmas and the entire of mainland Scotland will go right into a stage 4 lockdown from Boxing Day.
Underneath the Tier 4 guidelines, Brits are banned from household mixing or travelling, unless for essential reasons – meaning Christmas is cancelled for 17million people.
So what are the penalties for flouting the principles?
WHAT CAN I BE FINED FOR?
Fines could be issued for gatherings which breach the principles.
In Tier 4, the only way people can meet is outside – and the principles are strict.
One particular person can meet one different particular person exterior in a public place.
So, for instance, it implies that on Christmas Day, two households cannot meet for a stroll collectively.
Households are banned from mixing indoors altogether.
There’s only some exceptions to this.
Those that flout the legal guidelines will face fines and even court docket actionsCredit score: Rex Options
Boris Johnson has introduced a brand new Tier 4 – because the R price rises throughout the UK
Assist bubbles will proceed in Tier 4.
Folks can kind a assist bubble in the event that they’re the one grownup of their family, are below 18 and residing with out adults, live with a incapacity which requires steady care, or live with a toddler below 1.
However anybody breaching these very particular orders could be fined.
Outdoors of that, anybody in a Tier 4 space cannot depart it to go someplace an infection charges are decrease.
And after midnight – when the brand new guidelines come into pressure – individuals leaving London, Kent and different affected areas may even face arrest, it is prompt.
That has not, up to now, been said by the Authorities.
HOW MUCH CAN I BE FINED?
Anybody who breaks the principles on gatherings in England could possibly be hit with a £200 nice within the first occasion.
Police difficulty these fines, that are often called mounted penalty notices.
A sequence of strict new guidelines have been introduced right this moment
And people who repeatedly flout the steerage will see their fines rapidly mount.
The associated fee doubles for additional breaches.
Police can maintain including prices as much as a most of £6,400.
It is much more extreme for many who maintain unlawful gatherings, like events, for greater than 30 individuals.
These individuals will likely be fined £10,000.
Particular person fees are totally different in Wales, the place it is £60 for the primary offence, which could be lowered to £30 if paid inside a fortnight, and £120 for the second offence and for every additional offence.
In Scotland, individuals aged 16 and over are fined £60 for the primary offence, lowered to £30 if paid inside 28 days.
New tiers have been introduced this afternoon
Boris Johnson introduced that Christmas is successfully cancelled for thousands and thousandsCredit score: Reuters
It is £120 for the second offence, which doubles for every additional offence as much as a most of £960.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I FAIL TO PAY?
Police say they’ll strive a sequence of measures earlier than fines.
Cops purpose to observe the ‘4 Es’ – interact, clarify, encourage, implement.
Which means they will first attempt to interact with somebody, and clarify how the principles are being damaged.
Offenders will likely be inspired to vary their behaviour to scale back the chance to public security and well being.
However after that, police will inform those that breach the principles to disperse and hit them with fines.
Anybody who continues to disregard cops and Covid steerage could be arrested and charged with a criminal offense below the Coronavirus Act 2020.
The case will then be handled by magistrates, who can finally difficulty a most sentence of six months’ imprisonment, or a nice.
