England going into second coronavirus lockdown lasting four weeks
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to announce a national lockdown going into effect on Thursday, Nov. 5 and lasting through Dec. 2, 2020. This is the second lockdown England will endure since the coronavirus pandemic peaked in April. This news follows a report of 21,915 new coronavirus cases recorded in the UK, surpassing 1 million cases in total since the pandemic began.
New to The Points Guy? Want to learn more about credit card points and miles? Sign up for our daily newsletter.
This news was compounded by a Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) report showing the UK’s daily infection rate of 43,000-74,000 cases per day has surpassed “worst-case scenario” expectations of 12,000-13,000.
In addition, the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (SPI-M) projects daily deaths peaking at 4,000 in December 2021 unless new measures are implemented. All of this data has influenced Johnson’s decision to implement a strict lockdown to get the pandemic under control.
How England’s lockdown impacts travel
As part of the month-long lockdown, all non-essential shops and businesses will be required to shut down while schools, universities and offices that can’t accommodate work-from-home will remain open. Affected businesses include business focused on leisure and entertainment. Restaurants and bars will be required to close unless they can offer takeout.
People won’t be allowed to leave their homes, except for work, school, exercise, to shop for essentials, seek medical care and provide care for others.
All foreign travel will be banned, along with non-essential domestic travel. Essential reasons include travel for business and to care for relatives. Any tourists in the country will need to leave or risk being stuck in England until the lockdown is lifted.
Related: A country-by-country guide to coronavirus recovery
How this impacts Wales and Scotland
While England goes into a month-long lockdown, Wales is still set to end its own two-week “firebreak” on November 9.
Any announcement by @10DowningStreet will relate to England.
The Welsh firebreak will end on Monday, November 9.
Our cabinet will meet tomorrow to discuss any potential border issues for Wales in light of any announcement by No 10.
— Mark Drakeford (@fmwales) October 31, 2020
The firebreak consisted of stay-at-home orders and closing of restaurants, bars and non-essential businesses like hotels and beauty salons. The Welsh Government will announce post-firebreak rules on Sunday.
Scotland currently advises against non-essential travel to England and, starting November 2, will implement a five-level restriction system. This system assigns varying restrictions to each region, depending on the severity of cases.
Related: Airline coronavirus change and cancellation policies: A complete list of major carriers
Bottom line
As the pandemic enters its second wave and case numbers rise throughout Europe, lockdowns like the one implemented in England are likely to become the norm. Both France and Germany have announced their own national lockdowns in an effort to slow the spread of the virus during the winter months.
For eager travelers hoping to travel to Western Europe, most countries will continue to be off-limits until at least 2021.
Featured photo by ZGPhotography/Shutterstock
Sign-up Successful!
Welcome to The Points Guy!
WELCOME OFFER: 60,000 Points
TPG'S BONUS VALUATION*: $1,200
CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners
*Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. View our latest valuations here.
- Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Plus earn up to $50 in statement credits towards grocery store purchases.
- 2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases.
- Get 25% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
- With Pay Yourself Back℠, your points are worth 25% more during the current offer when you redeem them for statement credits against existing purchases in select, rotating categories.
- Get unlimited deliveries with a $0 delivery fee and reduced service fees on eligible orders over $12 for a minimum of one year with DashPass, DoorDash's subscription service. Activate by 12/31/21.
- Earn 2x total points on up to $1,000 in grocery store purchases per month from November 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Includes eligible pick-up and delivery services.
Disclaimer: The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser. Responses have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the bank advertiser. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered.
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.