The COVID-19 lockdown in the United Kingdom was a series of stay-at-home orders introduced by the British and devolved governments in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Part of a series on the |
COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies |
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(Part of the global COVID-19 pandemic) |
On 23 March 2020, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a nationwide lockdown to curb the widening outbreak of COVID-19. This involved closing many sectors and ordering the public to stay at home. It was an extension of the previous advice to avoid all non-essential contact, which was issued on 16th March, 2020.[1] This was incrementally lifted, starting from several weeks later. Similar restrictions were introduced in late 2020 and early 2021 as infections rose. Restrictions applied to certain areas, and then on a larger scale, differing between the four countries of the United Kingdom to which Health is devolved, with the central government being responsible for England.