The headline of Sunday Times, Sunday December 20, in the United Kingdom, seemed to come out of an apocalyptic film: “Christmas is canceled out by a rapidly advancing mutant virus. ” The day before, faced with a mutation of SARS-CoV-2 which makes the virus much more contagious, the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, had to announce the imposition of a level 4 of restrictions, that is to say a urgent return of confinement on Sunday and the ban on family reunions at Christmas in three regions: London, the south-east and the east of England. About twenty million people are affected. Lockdown was also imposed in Wales from Sunday and will be in Northern Ireland from December 26.
The variant of the virus, which appeared in September and titled VUI-202012/01, does not cause more worrying symptoms than its previous version. On the other hand, “It is up to 70% more transmissible”, explained the British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, dark face, during his press conference on Saturday. Very quickly, it is becoming the dominant form of the disease across the Channel. In London, it represented 28% of cases in mid-November and 62% the week of December 7.
The number of new daily hospitalizations in the three level 4 regions increased from 400 to 700 in three weeks
“December 3 [à la sortie du précédent confinement], we did not understand why the same restrictive measures imposed elsewhere did not have the same effect in Kent [sud-est de l’Angleterre], explains Mr Johnson. It’s only [vendredi], when we saw the data on the contagion, that we understood. “
This speed of propagation profoundly changes the course of the epidemic. The number of new daily hospitalizations in the three level 4 regions increased from 400 to 700 in three weeks. On Sunday, December 20, the British authorities recorded 36,000 new positive cases, a record, bringing the increase over the last seven days to 50% compared to the previous week. The new strain is ” out of control “, warns Matt Hancock, the Minister of Health.
Ban on hosting at home
Containing the virus therefore requires much stronger restriction measures, he explains: “The only way to control it is to reduce contact. In level 4 areas, everyone should act like they have the virus. “ The British government has ordered the closure of “non-essential” stores in these areas, in addition to bars and restaurants which were already at level 3. It is forbidden to entertain at home, including for Christmas, when the rules provided for so far only three homes could mix on that day. It is still allowed to leave your home and meet outside a person who is not part of your home.
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