British Prime Minister Johnson has implemented COVID “Plan B” to hold Omicron Coronavirus pandemic News

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has imposed tougher restrictions on COVID-19 in England by ordering people to work from home, wear masks in public places and use vaccine cards to slow the spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant.

Weakened by allegations by his staff he was partying on Downing Street In a Christmas lockout last year, Johnson said Wednesday that Omicron was rapidly expanding and that he had no choice but to move to “Plan B” while a vaccine-strengthening program is being rolled out.

Although the pandemic is far from the full blockade initially imposed, the new measures were described as a “hammer blow” for downtown restaurants, cafes and shops that are desperate to rebuild Christmas trade and finance.

Many Johnson lawmakers are also outraged by the new cuts, fearing the impact they will have on the economy after a historic 10 percent cut last year.

“While the picture may be better, and I really hope so, we know that the relentless logic of exponential growth can lead to a huge rise in hospitalizations and therefore, unfortunately, deaths,” Johnson said at a news conference.

Sterling fell sharply on Wednesday as “Plan B” measures were immediately in place and investors eased their bets on the Bank of England’s interest rate hike next week.

Johnson, who removed most COVID restrictions in England in July after the vaccine was quickly rolled out, pledged to sail in the winter without using the fourth blockade of COVID-19, but kept the so-called “Plan B” in reserve.

Part of those measures, such as reintroducing masks on public transportation and in stores, was already in place, but on Wednesday, Johnson said people now had to work from home.

Face masks will be required in public places, such as theaters and cinemas, and a COVID pass will be required to enter nightclubs and crowded venues.

Johnson said new measures were needed in the country after finding 568 cases of Omicron in the country, and the data suggest that the timing of doubling infections could be between two and three days.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid said officials said the number of Omicron infections was 20 times higher than the number of confirmed cases, which could be closer to 10,000.

Reporting from London, Andrew Simmons of Al Jazeera said Johnson’s staff at last year’s Christmas blockade party down Downing Street had weakened its legitimacy.

A leaked video showed senior staff laughing and joking about how they explained a Downing Street rally last year at the Christmas COVID-19 blockade. Johnson has apologized.

Simmons said the public was wondering how Johnson “could really be a moral authority, driving what the public should do” after avoiding questions about last year’s Christmas party, “which was offensive to the British public”.

Hammer Blow

Some businesses reacted unbelievably to the new cuts announced as Christmas approaches.

“The renewed demand for‘ working from home ’during the most important trading period of the year is a hammer blow for our retail and leisure tenants,” said Jace Tyrrell, CEO of New West End Company.

Although many businesses were well-adjusted to work from home, sectors such as hospitality, leisure and travel have suffered heavy losses. Unlike the previous locks, the support scheme for job requirements is also not available.

A survey by Savanta ComRes also suggested that some people may be willing to follow the new restrictions after appearances on the Downing Street party.

The Prime Minister also said that the restrictions on COVID could not last forever and that the country should have a “dialogue” on what to do when a large part of the population refuses to receive the vaccine.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have imposed restrictions on their COVID and have already imposed stricter rules.