Coronavirus: Boris Johnson tightens the screw and imposes a curfew on pubs

Faced with the resurgence of the new coronavirus, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday announced new restrictions, including a 10 p.m. curfew for pubs in England, warning of the possibility of "more drastic" measures .

Accused of worsening the toll of the pandemic by delaying decreeing containment in March, the head of the Conservative government warned, in Parliament, that the United Kingdom had "reached a dangerous turning point". 

Encouragement of teleworking and limited gatherings

In an attempt to reverse the trend, pubs, bars and restaurants will have to close at 10 p.m. from Thursday in England.

Only table service will now be authorized.

"I am sorry that this affects many companies which are just falling back on their feet but we must act", pleaded Boris Johnson in front of the deputies.

After encouraging people to return to work to help revive the economy, the government has changed its position and is asking people to work from home if they can.

The government has also postponed the public's return to sporting events which was scheduled for next month. 

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From Monday weddings can only have 15 participants maximum.

Wearing a mask will be compulsory in taxis as well as for employees of shops, bars and restaurants, and penalties will be tightened.

A violation of the rules on wearing a mask or on gatherings (limited to 6 people) will be punishable by a fine of 200 pounds (218 euros).

If necessary, the army can be called in to reinforce the police, warned Boris Johnson, accentuating the hardening of the tone of the authorities who had privileged pedagogy to repression in the spring.

"Six months" of restrictions

The most bereaved country in Europe with nearly 42,000 dead, the United Kingdom is currently seeing contaminations "double every seven days", running the risk of tens of thousands of contaminations in the coming weeks, health authorities warned on Monday .

The measures announced Tuesday will be in place "maybe six months," Boris Johnson said, warning that lack of progress would "inevitably be necessary to act more drastically."

The restrictions imposed on pubs have angered the hotel industry, Kate Nicholls, managing director of UK Hospitality, citing a "new blow" for a sector already badly damaged by the health context.

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Boris Johnson's announcements relate only to England, but "similar measures" will be taken in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, said the head of government, who spoke with heads of government of these countries. three British nations.

If he supports the new restrictions, Labor opposition leader Keir Starmer has lambasted the Prime Minister's strategy, saying he lacked "clear leadership" in this period of "national crisis". 

Local restrictions have already increased in recent weeks and the government hopes to only resort to national containment as a last resort with devastating consequences for an economy already severely affected by the containment of the first wave.

"This is in no way a return to confinement" introduced in March, assured Boris Johnson, promising that schools would remain open as well as companies which would respect health measures.