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UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced another national lockdown from early Wednesday. The lockdown was declared following a continuing spike in the number of new Covid-19 cases, BBC reported. 

In an address to the nation, Johnson said the variant has been spreading at an 'alarming rate'. The country registered over 50,000 daily infections for seven consecutive days. The restrictions with the main message to 'stay at home' will last for six weeks. Restrictions include closure of schools, not venturing out of homes unless emergency and working from home. This is the third nationwide lockdown in the United Kingdom since March 2020. It was re-imposed in November, when cases rose after a dip over the summer months. The overall deaths in the UK is likely to reach 100,000 by the end of January or early February.

Boris Johnson said vaccinating the top four priority groups by mid-February could allow restrictions to be eased, with Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove telling Sky News the measures may remain until March.

Tough new lockdown restrictions forbidding people from leaving home for non-essential reasons have also come into force across the Scottish mainland. Wales has been in a national lockdown since 20 December and Northern Ireland entered a six-week lockdown on 26 December.

The UK reported a record 58,784 cases on Monday, as well as a further 407 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.