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Photos: London in emergency lockdown as UK fights new coronavirus strain

Millions of people must cancel their Christmas get-togethers and most shops have to close in London and much of southern England, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on December 19 as he imposed a new, stricter level of coronavirus restrictions on the region to curb rapidly spreading infections from a new strain of the coronavirus. In announcing a more restrictive Tier 4 category, Johnson said that a fast-moving new variant of the coronavirus that is more than 70% more transmissible than existing strains appears to be driving the rapid spread in London and southern England.

Updated on: Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM IST

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A pedestrian walks past a British government health information advertisement highlighting new Covid-19 restrictions in London on December 19. British Prime Minster Boris Johnson has imposed a stricter full lockdown on London and southeast England in a desperate attempt to stop a new coronavirus strain spreading rapidly over the United Kingdom. (Toby Melville / REUTERS)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

A pedestrian walks past a British government health information advertisement highlighting new Covid-19 restrictions in London on December 19. British Prime Minster Boris Johnson has imposed a stricter full lockdown on London and southeast England in a desperate attempt to stop a new coronavirus strain spreading rapidly over the United Kingdom. (Toby Melville / REUTERS)

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Shoppers and pedestrians walk past shops in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on December 19. After emergency talks with top officials, PM Johnson cancelled plans to ease pandemic rules for five days during the holiday. Household mixing is now banned in London and the southeast, and socializing will be restricted to just Christmas Day across the rest of England. Residents across the country were told to keep to their local areas. (Oli Scarff / AFP)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

Shoppers and pedestrians walk past shops in Newcastle-upon-Tyne on December 19. After emergency talks with top officials, PM Johnson cancelled plans to ease pandemic rules for five days during the holiday. Household mixing is now banned in London and the southeast, and socializing will be restricted to just Christmas Day across the rest of England. Residents across the country were told to keep to their local areas. (Oli Scarff / AFP)

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People queue in front of a shop on Oxford Street in London on December 18. The dramatic escalation in the government’s pandemic response was triggered by a new strain of the virus that is virtually unique to the UK. Emerging scientific evidence suggests the new variant can spread significantly more quickly than previous strains in circulation and is behind a surge in infections in recent days. (Hannah McKay / REUTERS)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

People queue in front of a shop on Oxford Street in London on December 18. The dramatic escalation in the government’s pandemic response was triggered by a new strain of the virus that is virtually unique to the UK. Emerging scientific evidence suggests the new variant can spread significantly more quickly than previous strains in circulation and is behind a surge in infections in recent days. (Hannah McKay / REUTERS)

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A pedestrian walks through an almost deserted concourse at Charing Cross train station in London on December 20. Covid-19 case rates nearly doubled in London over the past week, with almost 60% of these infections attributed to the new strain, according to government officials. All non-essential shops were to close from December 20 and 16.4 million people -- 31% of England’s population – have been ordered to stay at home. (Niklas Halle’N / AFP)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

A pedestrian walks through an almost deserted concourse at Charing Cross train station in London on December 20. Covid-19 case rates nearly doubled in London over the past week, with almost 60% of these infections attributed to the new strain, according to government officials. All non-essential shops were to close from December 20 and 16.4 million people -- 31% of England’s population – have been ordered to stay at home. (Niklas Halle’N / AFP)

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Passengers pull luggage after disembarking an inter-terminal train at London Gatwick Airport Ltd. in Crawley on December 19. Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Italy all announced restrictions on UK travel, hours after Britain announced its latest stay at home orders. (Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

Passengers pull luggage after disembarking an inter-terminal train at London Gatwick Airport Ltd. in Crawley on December 19. Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Italy all announced restrictions on UK travel, hours after Britain announced its latest stay at home orders. (Chris Ratcliffe / Bloomberg)

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Shoppers look at shop window displays inside a christmas-themed Burlington Arcade in London on December 19. The measures will be a major blow to retail businesses at what is usually their busiest time of year, Bloomberg reported. The UK has already suffered its deepest recession since the Great Frost of 1709 and ministers have been forced to extend crisis loans and wage support programs amid fears that unemployment will rocket. (Tolga Akmen / AFP)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

Shoppers look at shop window displays inside a christmas-themed Burlington Arcade in London on December 19. The measures will be a major blow to retail businesses at what is usually their busiest time of year, Bloomberg reported. The UK has already suffered its deepest recession since the Great Frost of 1709 and ministers have been forced to extend crisis loans and wage support programs amid fears that unemployment will rocket. (Tolga Akmen / AFP)

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A woman speaks on the phone while walking past shops on Piccadilly on December 19. The toughest Tier 3 measures in the county of Kent have failed to stop the spread, prompting Johnson to introduce a new top level of infection controls, Tier 4. (Tolga Akmen / AFP)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

A woman speaks on the phone while walking past shops on Piccadilly on December 19. The toughest Tier 3 measures in the county of Kent have failed to stop the spread, prompting Johnson to introduce a new top level of infection controls, Tier 4. (Tolga Akmen / AFP)

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Police officers look on as protesters gather in central Newcastle-upon-Tyne on December 19, against restrictions imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Britain joins Italy, Austria and Germany in tightening curbs during the holiday season, with all three countries facing rapidly rising case numbers. The situation has deteriorated dramatically across Europe, just as vaccines are being rolled out. (Oli Scarff / AFP)

Updated on Dec 21, 2020 12:32 PM

Police officers look on as protesters gather in central Newcastle-upon-Tyne on December 19, against restrictions imposed to combat the spread of the coronavirus. Britain joins Italy, Austria and Germany in tightening curbs during the holiday season, with all three countries facing rapidly rising case numbers. The situation has deteriorated dramatically across Europe, just as vaccines are being rolled out. (Oli Scarff / AFP)

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