But last night, Prime Minister Boris Jonson said that the best approach for the whole of the UK is "a national lockdown that is tough enough to contain this variant."
Our photographer DAN MARTINO went along to Blackpool town centre to see what difference the announcement had made.
7.
"Our hospitals are under more pressure than at any time during the pandemic," the Prime Minister said
8.
He explained that, on 29 December, more than 80,000 people tested positive for Covid across the UK - a new record. The UK will now move to alert level 5, meaning that, without intervention, the NHS could be overwhelmed within 21 days, according to the PM
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"It's clear that we need to do more together to bring this new variant under control while our vaccines are rolled out," said Johnson
10.
The Prime Minister said that the best approach for the whole of the UK is "a national lockdown that is tough enough to contain this variant."
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Reverting back to the message at the forefront of the UK's first lockdown, he reminded viewers to "stay home"
12.
Residents in England are now only permitted to leave home to shop for essentials, work - if they cannot do so from home - seek medical assistance, or to escape domestic abuse