DESCRIPTION:
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a new national lockdown for
England as the country battles a more contagious strain of Covid-19.
TRANSCRIPT:
The UK tonight acknowledged it¡¯s losing its battle againts the new strain
of the virus, up to 70% more contagious and needs to lockdown immediately.
England is closing schools and universities, and banning all but essential
movements. You may only leave home for limited reasons permited in law
such as to smop for essentials, to work if you absolutely cannot work from
home, to exercise, to seek medical assistance. Prime minister said the
lockdown will last until mid february. By then he said the UK will have vaccinated
all people over 70, all those in care homes and all front line medical workers.
As of today the UK began to distribute the home grown Astrazeneca vaccine,
which unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, doesn¡¯t require ultra cold
temperatures making it easier to store and distribute. Why do you think this
will change things? This will change things because it is the light at the end of
the tunnel. For the rest of Europe the vaccine rollout is extremely slow.
France on;y recorded 516 vaccinations in the first week. French officials vowing
to speed up what some in France are calling a Fiasco. Prime Minister Joehson
said the lockdown could extend beyond February if the virus isn¡¯t under control.
Police and health experts are also worried about an an African Strain that¡¯s
even more mutated than the UK varient. And the more the virus mutates the
more it¡¯s potentialy resistant to the current vaccines.
QUESTIONS:
1. Explain the reason behind the new lockdown in England.
2. How dangerous is the new strain of coronavirus?
3. What do you know so far about the new coronavirus?