England has entered another national lockdown: Here’s what you need to know
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that England would enter another national lockdown on Monday (January 4) - citing "a frustrating and alarming" rise in COVID cases as the need for tough action.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson confirmed that England would enter another national lockdown on Monday (January 4) – citing “a frustrating and alarming” rise in COVID cases as the need for tough action.
Speaking from Downing Street, the PM’s third lockdown announcement since the start of the pandemic struck a sombre tone – warning that the next few weeks ahead would be “the hardest yet”.
The UK has recorded more than 50,000 cases per day for one week straight – with medical chiefs warning that the NHS could be overrun in just 21 days if infection rates continue to soar.
A new mutated variant has been blamed for the increase in COVID cases – which have now toppled more than 2.7 million.
The latest lockdown – which has no scheduled end date but is expected to last until mid-February – has been designed to limit social contact and bring the R number back down in England to protect the NHS, with the PM saying he believed this would be “the last phase of the struggle.”
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‘Lockdown 3’ is more comparable to the first lockdown seen back in March – with most premises forced to close and people being urged to stay at home as much as possible.
Here’s what you need to know about the latest lockdown rules.
Many pupils are being told to stay at home until February – with learning continuing remotely for most students instead.
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However, vulnerable children and the children of critical workers can attend school or college as normal.
Early years settings such as nurseries will also stay open.
End-of-year exams – such as GCSEs and A Levels – will not take place this summer as normal.
Higher Education provision will remain online until mid-February for all except future critical worker courses.
Can I meet others?
Gabriella Clare Marino / Unsplash
The new rules state you cannot leave your home to meet anyone you do not live with or who isn’t in your support bubble.
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You are allowed to leave your property to exercise on your own, with one other person, or with your household or support bubble.
You should not meet other people you do not live with, or have formed a support bubble with, “unless for a permitted reason.”
Larger gatherings are mostly banned.
Places of worship may remain open.
Wedding receptions can take place with a maximum of six people in attendance.
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Funerals can proceed with a maximum of 30 people. Wakes and other linked ceremonial events are limited to six people.
Is sport allowed?
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Outdoor sports venues including golf courses, tennis courts and outside gyms must close.
Amateur sports are not allowed, but elite sport – including Premier League football – will continue.
Which businesses can stay open?
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Most premises must close under the latest lockdown measures – including all non-essential retail, hairdressers, bars, restaurants, cafes, animal attractions, entertainment venues and community centres.
However, essential retail businesses such as food shops, supermarkets, pharmacies, garden centres, building merchants/suppliers of building products, and off-licences can all stay open.
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The government has also confirmed the following businesses can continue to trade:
Market stalls selling essential retail
Businesses providing repair services may also stay open, where they primarily offer repair services
Petrol stations, automatic (but not manual) car washes, vehicle repair and MOT services, bicycle shops, and taxi and vehicle hire businesses
Banks, building societies, post offices, short-term loan providers and money transfer businesses
Funeral directors
Laundrettes and dry cleaners
Medical and dental services
Vets and retailers of products and food for the upkeep and welfare of animals
Animal rescue centres, boarding facilities and animal groomers (may continue to be used for animal welfare, rather than aesthetic purposes)
Agricultural supplies shops
Mobility and disability support shops
Storage and distribution facilities
Car parks, public toilets and motorway service areas
Outdoor playgrounds
Outdoor parts of botanical gardens and heritage sites for exercise
Crematoriums and burial grounds
Restaurants, bars and cafes can continue to offer delivery and takeaway services for food.
For the full list of national lockdown rules and regulations, head on over to the government website.
News
Manchester United fans planning another major protest amid more upheaval around the club
Danny Jones
Manchester United supporters look set to stage another high-profile demonstration in protest against the INEOS Sports ownership group.
This is the latest response to the club’s continuing struggles, and not just the first proper organised mobilisation of the year, but the first since the most recent major march last spring.
Following the sacking of ‘manager’ Ruben Amorim, despite co-owner Jim Ratcliffe and his board of executives insisting that the Portuguese head coach (that distinction proving to be a crucial detail), the local sporting giants are once again starting from scratch and looking for another replacement boss.
With that in mind, militant fan group The 1958 announced their most recent protest ahead of a home fixture next month in a rather bold fashion…
As announced we protest against this dysfunctional co-ownership before Fulham.
Yep, neither Amorim, Erik ten Hag, Ole Gunnar Solskjær, nor any face even remotely associated with Old Trafford/Carrington is safe from an AI parody.
As for The 1958 group’s actual protest plans, speaking via the BBC this week, the supporters’ trust has confirmed that they will be making a vocal statement outside the stadium on Sunday, 1 February.
Travelling Reds already made their thoughts known with a very blunt, provocative and somewhat controversial banner in the away end at Turf Moor for the 2-2 draw against Burnley.
With Man United approaching a third-round FA Cup tie against Brighton and two big games in the form of a Manchester Derby at home and a trip to Arsenal, they have decided to choose the Fulham game at Old Trafford to stage the march.
Despite admitting that the results under Amorim were no way near good enough, they insist that the – most notably the overarching and Glazer family shadow ever looming over the organisation.
Further details around the actual timings and locations are still yet to be shared by the organisers, but you can expect this to be a well-attended, large-scale event.
Often convening at The Tollgate pub near regular matchday tram stop, Trafford Bar, before walking down Talbot Road towards the ground itself, we imagine Reds will then descend upon the Theatre of Dreams in their thousands.
In case you didn’t already surmise from the video itself, Ratcliffe and co. will be no doubt the subject of the usual chants, as well as more banners and flags.
What do you make of the latest plans, Man United fans?
Nothing will ever be quite as bold as the infamous Old Trafford break-in from 2022 (Credit: The Manc)
More Greater Manchester football matches called off as Storm Goretti sets in
Danny Jones
Yet more scheduled football matches in Greater Manchester and the surrounding regions have been postponed and/or cancelled due to Storm Goretti.
The increasingly cold, blustery and icy conditions moving over from France and across more parts of the UK have already caused schools to close, flights to be grounded, and plenty more disruption.
Another such inconvenience has come in the form of live sports, large swathes of which now look like they simply won’t be taking place.
One of the latest to be called off is Salford City‘s upcoming game against Swindon Town in the FA Cup this weekend, with various other games involving teams up and down the footballing pyramid now facing uncertainty over whether their third-round fixtures will go ahead as planned.
Ironically, this is just the tip of the iceberg, if you’ll pardon the very obvious pun.
Another game that was called off late last week, between Chadderton and FC Isle of Man, is yet to be rescheduled; the same is true of Rochdale AFC’s meeting with Brackley Town, Radcliffe v Oxford City, as well as games involving Bury, Stockport Town, Irlam, Cheadle Town, Prestwich Heys and more.
Other nearby outfits, such as Chorley, Warrington Rylands and Ramsbottom United, just to name a few, are also still unsure of when their next game will be.
In many cases, it is simply a matter of the grounds being largely or completely frozen and deemed unfit for use following pitch inspections.
Oldham Athletic – which has already been hit with plenty of snow and frost – yesterday confirmed that their Notts County clash wouldn’t be going ahead due to that very reason.
With winds of up to 90 miles per hour also being reported, yellow and even red weather warnings have been issued across various parts of the country, with people being urged to check their routes home from work by local authorities.
Storm Goretti should start calming down this evening (Fri, 9 January) and into Saturday morning, but the after-effects could still play havoc over the next few days.
For instance, over in Cheshire, Macclesfield FC are going so far as to call on nearby residents to help clear their playing surface from heavy snowfall.
So, if you’re in the area and fancy helping out, they could sure do with your help.
VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED
Macclesfield FC are once again requesting the help of the fanbase and the local community to help clear the remainder of the compacted snow from the surrounding areas of the https://t.co/fL99QEEJ4D Stadium.
The Manc -
5th January 2021 
