UK to ban assembly of more than 6 people amid COVID-19, penalty doubled

The UK will announce social gathering restrictions on gathering of more than 6 people in England amid the second wave surge of the coronavirus pandemic. Effective from September 15, the new protocol will make large public assembly ‘illegal’ both indoors or outdoors. UK PM Boris Johnson will announce the new regulation in a press conference on September 19, according to UK media reports. However, the rule will exempt schools, workplaces, COVID-secure weddings, funerals, and team sports adhering to health safety measures. Earlier, the legal limit for assembly of people was up to 30, including at private homes, restaurants, and parks, and a penalty of 100-pound ($130) was imposed on non-compliance.

Downing Street will issue prohibitory orders in view of steep in the positive cases of the COVID-19. At least 2,988 confirmed laboratory cases were recorded in a single highest daily in recent weeks. While the coronavirus caseload in the UK is on the surge, the death toll has remained significantly low, as per the state tally data. Overall, the UK has registered 40,000 fatalities from the coronavirus since the pandemic hit the country. The transmission rate curve has arced upwards on the graph in recent weeks, particularly in the month of August as over 2,400 cases were recorded on September 8, within 24 hours. The new rule, that will come into force next week, has doubled the offense fines to up to £3,200.

“The British public have already sacrificed a great deal to help slow the spread of the virus. Self-isolating if you have tested positive for COVID-19, or have come into contact with someone who has, remains vital to keeping on top of local outbreaks,” Health Secretary Matt Hancock said in the press release.

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In a separate advisory, Downing Street issued a new Islands policy introduced to travel corridors, saying, that due to increased risks of coronavirus cases, effective 4 am September 9, travellers entering England from Greek islands will have to quarantine for 14 days. “We have updated our guidance on travel corridors, taking a targeted approach to add or remove some countries’ islands. This will allow us to continue to respond quickly to threats of imported cases while minimizing wider disruption to passengers and the travel industry,” the UK government said in a statement. Further, it added, seven Greek islands [Crete, Lesvos, Mykonos, Santorini, Serifos, Tinos or Zakynthos] were to be immediately removed from the exemption list to protect public health in England, citing data from the Joint Biosecurity Centre and Public Health England has indicated a significant risk.

“Our top priority has always been to keep domestic infection rates down, and today we’re taking the next step in our approach,” UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said. 

£130 for 10-day period of self-isolation

Additionally, due to the sudden spike in the cases, the UK government introduced the scheme that required the eligible individuals who test positive with coronavirus to receive £130 for a 10-day period of self-isolation, as per a press release. Other members of the household, who have to self-isolate for 14 days, will be entitled to a payment of £182, it said.  UK PM Boris Johnson will later on hold a press conference on the new regulations imposed in the UK to curb the rising infections of the COVID-19. 

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