The new mutated virus variant has hit the UK hard.

Healthcare is more strained than it has ever been during the entire pandemic.

The proportion of patients cared for in British hospitals has increased by 30 percent in one week.

The death toll has increased by 20 percent during the same period.

If nothing happens, the British healthcare system can reach its maximum capacity within 21 days, warns the Prime Minister.

- This means that the government will once again instruct you to stay at home, says Boris Johnson in a live speech on Monday night.

New shutdown

To curb the worrying development, England is once again entering a new shutdown, or so-called lockdown, similar to the one it had in March 2020. The new rules will take effect from Wednesday and will affect around 56 million people.

This means, among other things, that the English are now only allowed to leave home for a number of valid reasons, including shopping for necessary goods, getting to work (if you can not work from home), exercising, seeking medical care and escaping physical abuse at home.

In addition, British schools will move to homeschooling with immediate effect.

Vaccinated more than the rest of Europe

A big difference between the situation this spring and the current situation is the vaccination, says Boris Johnson.

- We in the UK have vaccinated more people than the rest of Europe combined, says Johnson and continues:

- If all goes well, we will have offered a first vaccine dose to everyone in the four most prioritized groups in mid-February.

This means all people living in nursing homes and staff who work there, all people over the age of 70, all staff in health care as well as social workers and people who are particularly sensitive to viruses for other reasons.

Can leave in February

Even if the vaccination goes according to plan, it will take a few more weeks before the priority groups receive their second dose and reach immunity.

And it may take additional weeks before the pressure on the health care system releases, according to the prime minister.

- We must therefore be careful about the timetable ahead, says Boris Johnsson.

He adds, however, that the closure may be left as early as mid-February if everything goes according to plan.