Prime Minister warns public over Christmas as new coronavirus measures announced

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has warned the public that they need to follow the latest coronavirus rules for the best chance of having as normal a Christmas as possible.
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Speaking at a Downing Street briefing on Monday, October 12, Mr Johnson was said that a relatively normal Christmas is possible depends on the public sticking to the Government’s coronavirus rules.

The briefing aimed to outline the new three-tier coronavirus alert system for England that will standardise the restrictions in different areas under three alerts – medium, high and very high.

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But Mr Johnson found himself faced with the question of what Christmas will look like as Covid-19 measures look set to be stepped up over the winter months.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is flanked by Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak (R) during a virtual briefing outlining new Covid-19 rules that are due to be imposed across the nation at Downing Street on October 12. (Photo by Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)Prime Minister Boris Johnson is flanked by Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak (R) during a virtual briefing outlining new Covid-19 rules that are due to be imposed across the nation at Downing Street on October 12. (Photo by Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)
Prime Minister Boris Johnson is flanked by Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty and Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak (R) during a virtual briefing outlining new Covid-19 rules that are due to be imposed across the nation at Downing Street on October 12. (Photo by Toby Melville - WPA Pool/Getty Images)

Turning it back on the public, the Prime Minister said that it was up to the compliance of the public in adhering to the rules in order to have the best chance of being able to celebrate the festive season in a ‘normal as possible’ way.

He told the Downing Street press conference: “We’ll do our absolute best to try to make sure we can get life back to as close to normal as possible for Christmas.

“But that is going to depend, I’m afraid, on our success in getting this virus down and our ability as a country to follow through on the package of measures.”

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Mr Johnson listed advice and rules around social distancing and testing.

“All that basic stuff is essential if we’re going to come out of this and allow people to have anything like a normal Christmas,” he added.

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It comes as England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty warned that there is “clear evidence” that coronavirus is spreading around the country beyond those areas facing further restrictions.

The Prime Minister said the new Covid alert levels were being introduced to “squash this virus wherever it appears”.

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He said: “We are today simplifying, standardising and in some places toughening local rules in England by introducing three levels of Covid alert.”

At the briefing Chancellor Rishi Sunak said the existing furlough scheme will continue in October and the Job Support Scheme will be available from November and will run for six months.

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