Britain unveiled on Friday extra coronavirus jobs support, offering to pay up to two-thirds of staff monthly wages to firms forced to close over the winter months, as infection rates spiral, AFP reports.

Finance minister Rishi Sunak said the scheme, launched two weeks ago for workers taking reduced hours, will now also provide a “safety net for businesses across the UK who are required to temporarily close their doors” on a local or national basis in an attempt to cut transmission rates.

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