Johnson: Lockdown to avoid 'medical and moral disaster'

Boris Johnson has defended a second Covid lockdown in England, arguing now is the time to prevent a "medical and moral disaster", as the Manchester ambulance service declared a major incident over an exceptionally high volume of calls.

After rejecting calls last month for a new national lockdown, Johnson U-turned on Saturday, announcing new restrictions across England would begin at 12.01am (GMT) on Thursday and last until December 2.

Britain, which has the highest official Covid-19 death toll in Europe, is grappling with more than 20,000 new cases a day. Scientists have warned a worst-case scenario of 80,000 dead could be exceeded this winter.

But the British Prime Minister has come under fire from all sides over his about-turn - from those in his Conservative Party who see the measures as draconian to others who have long been urging government to introduce a national lockdown.

"We are fighting a disease... When the data changes of course we must change course too," Johnson told parliament, setting out to lawmakers that action was needed to avoid a "medical and moral disaster" when hospitals could be overrun.

Defending his earlier measures to try to limit lockdown measures to those areas suffering from the highest infection rates, he said he had not been too slow in reacting as the number of cases spiralled across England.

"In fact we are moving to national measures when the rate both of deaths and infections for instance is lower than they were in France," he said.

Saturday's announcement is subject to a vote on Wednesday which will expose Johnson to a rebellion from Conservative Party lawmakers who reject the need for a national lockdown.

Some Conservatives fear the long term economic damage caused by the lockdown will outweigh the health risks of allowing businesses to stay open, and that there are wider risks to mental health and an erosion of civil liberties from lockdowns.

But to soften the blow, he said he would double support for the self-employed and said when the measures expired on December 2, lawmakers would have a vote on a way forward.

Britain has reported 46,717 Covid-19 deaths - defined as those dying within 28 days of a positive test. A broader measure of those with Covid-19 on their death certificates puts the toll at 58,925.

Essential shops, schools and universities in England will remain open but pubs and restaurants will be shut except for takeaways. Outbound international travel is banned except for essential reasons including work and non-essential retail will close.

The opposition Labour Party has offered its support to the government, meaning there is little chance of Johnson losing the parliamentary vote. But, after Johnson rejected Labour's call for a lockdown, their votes will come alongside heavy criticism.

"Rejecting the advice of his own scientists for 40 days was a catastrophic failure of leadership and of judgement," Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said.

The rest of the United Kingdom - Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland - have their own lockdown policies and enacted tougher health restrictions last month.

'MAJOR INCIDENT' DECLARED IN MANCHESTER 

The ambulance service in northwest England, one of the areas worst-hit by Covid-19, said it had declared a major incident on Monday over an exceptionally high volume of calls, especially in the Greater Manchester area.

Greater Manchester was one of the first parts of the country to face renewed restrictions after the end of England's first national lockdown, but despite measures being in force for months the level of infections remains high in the city.

The area is currently at the "Very High" alert level, the highest of three bands in England's new tiered response to the coronavirus outbreak.

"We are exceptionally busy this evening," North West Ambulance Service said on Twitter, urging people to call only for life-threatening emergencies.

"We are trying our best to reach patients as soon as we possibly can," it said, warning callers that if their condition was not life-threatening they may be asked to go to hospital by their own means.

Declaring a major incident is a formal step that allows managers to respond to the problem they are facing by doing things such as asking people to work overtime or calling in extra staff.

The Manchester Evening News reported that part of the difficulty was the number of paramedics isolating due to Covid-19.