Wales imposes 2-week lockdown: 'everybody must stay at home'

CARDIFF: Wales will impose a two-week "firebreak" lockdown from Friday in which everybody apart from essential workers must stay at home to combat an accelerating second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford said he understood that people were tired of COVID-19 restrictions but that the imposition of rules was essential as critical care units were already full.

"It will have to be sharp and deep in order to have the impact we need," Drakeford told reporters. "Everyone in Wales will be required to stay at home."

"If we do not act now, it will continue to accelerate," he said. "Our critical care units are already full."

The lockdown will begin on Friday at 1700 GMT and end on Nov. 9. Everybody but essential workers will have to work from home. All non-essential retail, leisure, hospitality and tourist businesses will have to close in Wales. Places of worship will also close.

The United Kingdom recorded 16,982 new daily cases of COVID-19 in the space of 24 hours, according to government data issued on Sunday, up from 16,717 the previous day. Wales recorded 950 cases, up from just 400 at the start of the month.