Fearing the unprecedented surge of Covid-19 cases in the country, Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced a new nationwide lockdown until at least mid-February, as per media reports.

The PM maintained that this is a critical moment for the country as coronavirus cases are rising sharply in every part of the United Kingdom.

Under the newly-formulated restrictions, primary and secondary schools and colleges will be shut. University students will not be returning until at least mid-February. All non-essential shops and personal care services will be shut, while restaurants can only run takeout services, as per media reports.

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During a hospital visit on Monday, Johnson said: “No question we’re going to have to take tougher measures.”

Johnson visited the hospital the same day when the National Health Service (NHS) started administering the first set of Oxford University’s Covid-19 vaccine.

“What we have been waiting for is to see the impact of the Tier 4 measures on the virus and it is a bit unclear, still, at the moment. But if you look at the numbers, there is no question that we are going to have to take tougher measures and we will be announcing those in due course,” he added.

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According to a report by The News Minute, there were 26,626 Covid-19 patients in hospitals in England, as of Monday, an increase of over 30 per cent from a week ago. That is 40 per cent above the highest level of the first wave in the spring.