The second national lockdown comes eight months after the country first went into a lockdown due to the pandemic. This time, measures have been put in place to stop the situation becoming even worse than in the first peak. The Prime Minister on Monday warned there was “no alternative” as figures predicted that if further action wasn’t taken, there would be more Covid deaths seen this time around.

The lockdown came into effect at 0.01am on Thursday, November 5 and will end on December 2. Non-essential services and businesses have been forced to close, including pubs and restaurants, while essential shops and educational settings remain open. The government has also returned to its message of ‘stay at home, to protect the NHS and save lives’, as people are only permitted to leave home for a limited number of reasons.