People in England who leave their homes without a ‘reasonable excuse’ can now be fined £200 as the country enters its first weekend in lockdown 2.0.
Under the new rules, people are allowed to leave their homes for exercising, buying food, getting medical attention, caring for others, or going to work if they cannot work from home.
There is hope ahead, however, as the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) suggests the rate of coronavirus infections is flattening across England and Wales.
Figures show an estimated 618,700 people in England – one in 90 – had Covid-19 between October 25 and 31, up from 568,100 the week before.
But while the infections continue to rise, ‘the rate of increase is less steep compared with previous weeks’, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.
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