Government announces national lockdown (Monday 4 January 2021)

Everyone in England must stay at home except for specific reasons, including essential shopping, to work, if you cannot work from home, to exercise, to seek medical help, and to escape domestic abuse.

The full list of restrictions are available on the dedicated restrictions pages of the Government’s website (opens in a new window).

In response to the announcement Dr. Kathryn Cobain, the Director for Public Health for Worcestershire said:

“The Government has announced a national lockdown. This is a direct result of escalating Covid-19 cases. In the latest 7 days, here in Worcestershire we have seen 1,888 positive COVID-19 cases, which is more than all positive cases seen during May, June, July, August and September 2020 combined. Alongside these rising figures, we know our local NHS is seeing more people in hospital than at any other time during the pandemic. Together these factors are very concerning. Lockdown restrictions are of course, going to impact all our lives, and will limit what we are all able to do. Covid-19 spreads when we mix, so it is necessary to restrict and limit our freedoms as we now try to reduce the number of positive covid-19 cases in our county. Please make yourself aware of the new lockdown rules, please follow them and do what is being asked of you. Together we can reduce the spread of Covid-19, and reduce the impact it is having on our county. The vaccine programme is beginning to roll-out in the county, and will offer hope to us all for the future. But right now, we need to stay at home, reduce our contacts and stop mixing. This will save lives.”