Coronavirus: UK’s PM Johnson shuts pubs in parts of England with new COVID-19 curbs

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed a tiered system of further restrictions on parts of England on Monday, including shutting pubs, as the COVID-19 outbreak accelerates, though anger is rising at the cost of the curtailment of freedoms.

Johnson announced the new three-tier system in an attempt to standardize a patchwork of often complicated and confusing restrictions imposed across England. Lawmakers will vote on the move.

The lockdowns will include shutting pubs and bars in areas placed into the “very high” alert level from Wednesday. The other levels in the new system are “medium” and “high”.

So far, Merseyside in northwest England – which includes the city of Liverpool – is the only area in the highest risk category. Gyms, leisure centers, casinos, betting shops and adult gaming centers there will also close, Johnson said.

“We must act to save lives,” Johnson told parliament, adding that he did not want another national lockdown and that he understood the frustrations of those chafing at the “repressions of liberty”.

“If we let the virus rip, then the bleak mathematics dictate that we would suffer not only an intolerable death toll from COVID-19, but we would put such a huge strain on our NHS (National Health Service) with an uncontrolled second spike that our doctors and nurses would simply be unable to devote themselves to other treatments.”