How did the UK end up back on the brink of a second national coronavirus lockdown?
ABCWith ominous warnings that the UK could be facing 50,000 new coronavirus cases a day by mid-October, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a raft of new restrictions to try to contain the spread of the disease. Key points: Face masks are now mandatory in England on public transport, in taxis, and while shopping Employees have been urged to work from home Pubs, bars and restaurants will have to close by 10:00pm Cases of COVID-19 fell from a peak of more than 5,000 a day in April to about 600 in early July, but infections are on the rise across Europe and the UK is not immune. But despite urgings from some government scientific advisers to order a two-week "circuit-breaker" national lockdown, Mr Johnson has instead announced a mixture of restrictions for England that he warned could last for up to six months. Last month Mr Johnson launched a major drive to persuade more staff across England to "get back to work" to save struggling retailers in town and city centres. While the new restrictions stop well short of the full lockdown imposed by the UK Government on March 23, Mr Johnson warned more measures could be imposed if the spread of the virus was not suppressed.