The government of Great Britain, where a new, more aggressive strain of COVID-19 has been discovered, has decided to introduce a national quarantine (already the third) and close schools due to the worsening epidemiological situation. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced this during a televised address to the nation.

From today, all schools in the country will switch over to remote working – only children of key professions such as doctors, social workers, firefighters and policemen will be able to attend them physically. It is allowed to go out for a walk, to the doctor or to the store – but people with severe chronic diseases are advised to observe the regime of self-isolation.

The timing of the quarantine, Johnson said, depends on the further spread of the infection. “The new version of the virus is spreading at an alarming rate,” the prime minister said. He noted that the country’s health care system is under great pressure.

Recall, the new COVID-19 strain was detected in the United Kingdom in mid-December. Subsequently, it was found in several other countries, including Cyprus – all those in whom it was detected came to the island from Britain.