Britain's capital London and parts of southeast England will be put under more stringent Covid-19 restrictions from early on Wednesday, health minister Matt Hancock said, saying the rise in cases could overwhelm hospital services.

“Over the last week we've seen very sharp, exponential rises in the virus across London, Kent, parts of Essex and Hertfordshire [...] We therefore have decided to move greater London, the south and west of Essex [...] and the south of Hertfordshire [...] into tier three, which is the very high alert level,” Hancock told parliament.

“There restrictions will come into force at midnight on Wednesday morning.”

Opinion

Editorial

External woes
21 May, 2026

External woes

PAKISTAN’S external sector has once again exposed the economy’s structural weaknesses that bilateral debt...
Political activity
21 May, 2026

Political activity

THE opposition is astir. There is talk of widespread protests this Friday over a list of dissatisfactions with the...
Seizing hope
21 May, 2026

Seizing hope

ISRAEL’S tyranny knows no bounds. After intercepting the Global Sumud Flotilla that set sail last week, disturbing...
Hormuz gamble
20 May, 2026

Hormuz gamble

The Strait of Hormuz has become the real centre of the confrontation.
The unkindest cut
20 May, 2026

The unkindest cut

SUICIDE, a complex symptom of deep despair triggered by mental health problems, is hardly a moral issue. Punitive...
Ad hoc culture
20 May, 2026

Ad hoc culture

THE Supreme Court’s ruling against prolonged ad hoc and acting appointments is an indictment of a deeply ...