New London restrictions are ‘highly likely’, Sadiq Khan says
Sadiq Khan has said it is “highly likely” that London will introduce coronavirus restrictions soon as cases across the capital continue to rise.
“We are at a very serious tipping point. The virus is accelerating in every part of London”, the Mayor of London said today, warning further restrictions were “inevitable”.
His warning comes as confirmed cases in the capital neared 60,000 and the rest of the country braces itself for a tightening of restrictions which could see pubs and restaurants close.
Pubs, bars and restaurants across Greater Manchester, Merseyside and parts of West Yorkshire could be forced to close from next week amid the region’s soaring infection rate.
As of yesterday the latest coronavirus statistics show there are 58,271 confirmed cases in London. Brent and Barnet are the worst affected areas with 2,649 and 2,753 cases respectively.
The capital has now been placed on the coronavirus “watch list”.
Khan’s warning comes ahead of a trailed “tiered” lockdown system which could see further measures imposed on London.
England is expected to be carved into three different lockdown tiers from next week. Under the proposals, people living in the strictest tier will be expected to be ordered to limit all social contact outside of the household.
The second tier will ban household mixing in homes or gardens, as well as in hospitality settings, as is already the case in the North East and Merseyside.
And those in the first tier will be expected to follow the rule of six and maintain social distancing.
Writing in City PM this week, Khan said that the virus is spreading across the capital but warned that there is no “accurate picture” due to government failings.
In a further attack on the government, the mayor wrote: “The only way London’s businesses will be able to survive this crisis is if the Government takes the right measures to stop the spread of the virus now, and provides the full financial support needed to prop up the economy and protect jobs.”