LONDON: The United Kingdom (UK) has announced yet another lockdown starting today after cases of COVID-19 new variants spiked in the county, of late.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson says everyone in England must stay at home except for permitted reasons during a new coronavirus lockdown expected to last until mid-February.

All schools and colleges will close to most pupils and switch to remote learning from today.

Boris Johnson warned the coming weeks would be the “hardest yet” amid surging cases and patient numbers.

All care home residents and their carers, everyone aged 70 and over, all frontline health and social care workers, and the clinically extremely vulnerable will be offered one dose of a vaccine by mid-February. (With inputs from Agencies)