Cash grants titsu it mt zir ranch getting cash grants directly from the government and through the local authority and the government should immediately announce the suspension of all requirements to pay any form of all requirements to pay any form of taxation, vat, national insurance, income tax, it doesnt mean to say that businesses will not have to pay them eventually but at least they can hang onto that cash now because that may make the difference between surviving and dying. Now its time for a look at the weather with chris fawkes. Hello again. The heavy rain we have seen hello again. The heavy rain we have seen over recent hello again. The heavy rain we have seen over recent days have been working into our with her catchments causing a few issues. Weve got similar flooding causing a few issues. Weve got similarflooding building in an weve got that rivers coming over the banks here in worcestershire. And its not just the banks here in worcestershire. And its notjust across parts of the midlands risking flood warnings, estimate for us across other areas of england, wales and scotland. About 30 flood warnings in force at the moment. Today has been a day of sunshine and showers and overnight
though showers will continue to be driven in on this strong, gusty wind which will cost around 30 or foil miles per hour. The driest weather across eastern areas, nor particularly cold, or overnight lows between four and six celsius for most. Tomorrow another day of sunshine and showers, and they will merge together to give longer was of rain and the weather becoming a bit drierfor rain and the weather becoming a bit drier for time rain and the weather becoming a bit drierfor time in rain and the weather becoming a bit drier for time in southwest england. 0cclude a nationwide, heist between eight and 0cclude a nationwide, heist between eightand ii. 0cclude a nationwide, heist between eight and ii. A cooler day. Hello this is bbc news. The headlines. Nearly 18 Million People in london and south east england move into stricter tier 4 restrictions from midnight people must stay at home, and non essential shops have to close. For those in tier 4 it means the relaxation of rules
at christmas has been scrapped and reduced to one day, the 25th, for the rest of england. We must be realistic. We are sacrificing the chance to see our loved ones this christmas so we have a better chance of protecting their lives, so that we can see them at future christmases. The new restrictions are due to a spike in cases thats being blamed on a fast spreading new variant of the disease. The whole of wales is to be placed under lockdown from midnight, with festive rules cancelled for all but Christmas Day. Scotland reduces the five day festive window for mixing with other households indoors to Just Christmas day itself and imposes a strict travel ban between itself and the rest of the uk. Lets recap on the very significant changes that have been announced for christmas and london and the south east affecting 17. 7 Million People. The Prime Minister said the new variant of the virus has led to an alarming spread of covid i9 across the south east, east of england and london. He said it was 70 more transmissible than the original virus. So the upshot is that the planned relaxation of coronavirus rules for christmas has been scrapped for those affected areas. And in other parts of england, the gathering of three households for the feastive season, can now only take place Christmas Day. From midnight tonight, the tightest restrictions will be part of a new tier 4 category, similar to the last National Lockdown in november, and it will affect areas such as kent, essex, bedfordshire, buckinghamshire and all 32
boroughs of london. People will be advised not to travel into or out of tier 4 areas, and the restrictions come in from midnight tonight. In tier 4 a stay at home order will be issued to residents although those who have to travel for education or work may continue to do so. Social mixing will be restricted to meeting one other person in an open public space. All non essential retail will have to close along with hairdressers, nail bars and indoor entertainment venues. And lets take a look at those scaled back Christmas Plans for people in tier 4 there is no household mixing for areas in tierfour. But support bubbles are unaffected by that. And for areas in tiers i to 3 people can only mix on Christmas Day for one day only. He was with the Prime Minister said. Good afternoon everybody and thank you forjoining the latest Coronavirus Press conference. Yesterday afternoon, i was briefed on the latest data that shows the virus spreading more rapidly in london and the south east of england than were being expected given the tough restrictions already in place. I also received an explanation as to why the virus is spreading more rapidly in these areas. It seems that the spread is now being driven by the new variant of the virus which we spoke about earlier this week. And learned about earlier this week. 0ur Advisory Group on new and emerging respiratory virus, nervtag, has spent the last few days analysing this new variant. There is no evidence that it causes more severe illness or higher mortality. But it does appear to be passed on significantly more easily. The early Analysis Firm nervtag suggests the new variant could increase the r by century or more and may be up to 70 more transmissible than the original version of the disease. This is early data and subject to review but it is the best that we have at the moment and we have to act on information as we have it because this is now spreading very fast. The uk has by far the best genomic sequencing ability in the world which means that we are better able to identify new strains like this than any other country. The chief medical officer last night submitted our findings so far
to the World Health Organisation and we will continue to be totally transparent with our global partners. There is still much that we do not know, fairly certain that the variant is transmitted more quickly but there is no evidence to suggest that it is more lethal or that it causes more severe illness and equally there is no evidence to suggest that the vaccine will be any less effective against the new variant. Our experts will continue their work to improve our understanding as fast as we can. So we are learning about it as we go but we already know enough, more than enough to be sure that we must act now. So i met ministers on the Covid OperationsCommittee Last night and again this morning and cabinet met at lunchtime to agree the following actions. First we will introduce new restrictions in the most
affected areas specifically those parts of london, the south east and east of england which are currently in tier 3. These areas will enter a new tier 4 which will be broadly equivalent to the National Restrictions in place in england in november. That means that residents in those areas must stay at home apart from limited exemptions set out in the law. Nonessential retail, indoor gyms and Leisure Facilities and personal Care Services must close. People must work from home if a can but may travel to work if this is not possible for example in the construction and manufacturing sectors. People should not enter or leave them to areas and tempter residents must not stay overnight away from home. Individuals can only meet one person from another household in an outdoor public space. Unlike the november restrictions communal worship can continue to take place in tier 4 areas that these measures will take effect from tomorrow morning. All tiers will continue to be regularly reviewed in line with the approach previously set out with the next formal review taking place on the 30th of december. We are issuing new advice on travel. Although the new variant is concentrated in tier 4 areas it is nonetheless present at lower levels around the country, so we are asking everyone in all tiers to stay local. People should carefully consider whether they need to travel abroad, and they should follow the rules in their tier. Those in tier 4 areas will not be permitted to travel abroad, apart from limited exceptions such as for work purposes. Third, we must, im afraid, look again at christmas and, as Prime Minister, its my duty to take difficult decisions, to do what is right to protect
the people of this country. Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, the potential risk it poses, it is with a very heart i must tell you we cannot continue with christmas as planned. In england, those living in tier 4 areas should not mix with anyone outside their own household at christmas, though support bubbles will remain in place for those at particular risk of loneliness or isolation. Across the rest of the country, the christmas rules allowing up to three households to meet will now be limited to Christmas Day only rather than the five days, as previously set out. As before, there will be no relaxation on the 31st of january, so people must not break the rules at new year. They must not break the rules at new year
its very, very important to emphasise that. I know how much emotion people invest in this time of year and how important it is, for instance, for grandparents to see their grandchildren, for families to be together, so i know how disappointing this will be. But we have said throughout this pandemic that we must, and we will, be guided by the science. When the science changes, we must change oui response. And when the virus changes its method of attack, we must change our method of defence. And as your Prime Minister, i sincerely believe there is no alternative open to me. Without action, the evidence suggests that infections would soar, hospitals would become overwhelmed,
and many thousands more would lose their lives. And i want to stress that we are not alone in this fight or in taking these types of decisions many of our european friends and neighbours are being forced to take similar action. Were working closely with the devolved administrations to protect people in every part of the uk and, of course, there is now real, real hope that we will soon be rid of this virus, and that prospect is growing with every day that passes and every vaccine dose that is administered. As you know, the uk was the first country in the western world to start using a clinically approved vaccine, and so, please, if the nhs contacts you, then get your vaccine and join the 350,000 people across the uk who have already had theirfirst dose. Yes, christmas this year will be different, very different, but we must be realistic. Were sacrificing the chance to see our loved ones this christmas so we have a better chance of protecting their lives so that we can see them at future christmases. And as sure as night follows day, well beat back this virus, well defeat it and reclaim our lives. Im going to hand over now to patrick who is going to go through some of the slides explaining this decision. Thank you very much. May have the first slide please . This slide is from the office of National Statistics slide showing infections have risen again in recent weeks. It shows the percentage of positive tests against time, and you can see from july to september it with fairly flat, and increase include during septemberup to fairly flat, and increase include during september up to a peak, after which the lockdown led to a decrease
in the numbers during november, and it is now on the increase again. So the lockdown brought the numbers down and now we are seeing them rising again. Next slide please. This shows the levels on the 29th of november to the 13th of december. 0n the left hand november to the 13th of december. 0n the left hand side is the average cases in the last two weeks from november the 29th, and on the right hand side is in mid december. The darker the colour the higher the numberof the darker the colour the higher the number of cases. And what you can see is first of all that there are some areas that have gotten very dark, and here in New South Wales in the southeast of england, and that the southeast of england, and that the overall cases have increased by more than 50 . So a substantial increase in numbers over the period of december. If ijust concentrate now on the southeast and london we
will see a picture which i think begins to link into the new virus variant. Next slide please. This is hospital admissions per day in london, east of england, and the southeast from nhs data from september through to now. You can see a gradual increase the number of hospital admissions per day and you can see a very sharp increase during december. This virus has taken off, its moving fast, and its leading inevitably to a sharp increase in hospital admissions. Inevitably to a sharp increase in hospitaladmissions. Next inevitably to a sharp increase in hospital admissions. Next slide, please. If we now lookjust at the areas that are moving into tier 4 is the Prime Minister hasjust said and which is areas in london, the southeast and the east, and look at the numberof southeast and the east, and look at the number of cases, the case rate against time, what you can