Scotland bans travel from England to stop new Covid strain and goes into lockdown on Boxing Day as Wales put in Tier 4

SCOTLAND will ban travel from England over the festive period to stop the spread of a highly contagious new strain of coronavirus.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon also announced the country would go into lockdown on Boxing Day - as Wales was plunged into Tier 4 restrictions from midnight tonight. 

⚠️ Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates

It comes after rules were due to be relaxed across the UK from December 23 to 28 to allow families to spend Christmas together.

But Christmas plans were plunged into chaos amid warnings from medical experts of a "frighteningly transmissible" new variant of the bug in London and the South East, which can spread up to 70 per cent more easily.

The emergence of the new strain led Boris Johnson to cancel Christmas for millions of Brits living in London and the South East - with the regions plunged into Tier 4 lockdown from midnight tonight.

In a press conference this evening, Ms Sturgeon said Scotland faced the "most serious and potentially dangerous juncture we have faced since the start of the pandemic" - but the country could act "on a preventative basis" by banning travel from other regions.

The five-day easing of restrictions in Scotland has also been cut to just one day, though Ms Sturgeon urged Scots only to travel on Christmas day "if there's no alternative".

Click the links below to find out more...

• Boris Johnson today cancelled Christmas for millions as he put London, the South East and East in Tier 4 lockdown
• A new mutant strain of Covid-19 is becoming the "dominant variant" of the disease and may be up to 70% more contagious
• All Brits have been told to stay local during the festive season
• Christmas bubbles in Tiers 1, 2 and 3 have been cut to just 24 hours on December 25
• Non-essential shops and gyms in Tier 4 areas must be closed from midnight
• Those in Tier 4 will be able to meet only one other person outdoors - but must not stay overnight from home

All of Scotland will enter Level 4 - the toughest of the country's five levels of restrictions - for three weeks from Boxing Day.

Non-essential shops will close as will cafes, restaurants and hairdressers.

The latest figures show 17 cases of the new variant tearing through the South East of England have been found in Scotland, with the First Minister warning it "could take hold" in the country without firm action.

Schools will open for key workers as normal, but the majority of pupils will not return from January 11, with online learning until at least January 18.

Scotland has the lowest case rate in the UK, with 112.6 cases per 100,000 of the population.

Ms Sturgeon said the emergence of the new strain was the reason for harsher restrictions, adding: "If it wasn't for this new strain, I wouldn't be standing here right now announcing this because our case levels right now are actually quite stable."

WALES IN LOCKDOWN

Meanwhile, non-essential retail, close contact services, gyms and leisure centres and hospitality will close in Wales as part of harsh new restrictions.

First Minister Mark Drakeford said 'stay at home' restrictions would also come into effect from midnight.

He said: "Unfortunately, we must also look again at the arrangements for Christmas - we cannot expose people to the risk of this new, more virulent strain of coronavirus.

"We will therefore change the current rules, which allow two households to come together to form a Christmas bubble over a five-day period, so that they will apply on Christmas Day only.

"Throughout the Alert Level 4 period, a single person household will be able to join with one other household.

"While we all want to avoid further disruption to businesses and plans for Christmas, our overriding duty is to protect lives here in Wales."

He added: "We know that 2021 will be a different and a better year.

"Our economy will recover. Christmas will come again."

The decision comes amid a surge in infections in Wales, with the latest figures showing a case rate of 592.3 cases per 100,000 people based on the seven days up to December 14.

Meanwhile in London and the South East of England, travel and different households mixing will be banned under the new highest level tier - with families elsewhere only allowed to form ‘Christmas bubbles’ on December 25 itself.

Mr Johnson warned the nation he could not ignore the terrifying new strain spreading in Kent and London, and vowed: "We have to act to protect the public."

It's thought the new strain - called VUI202012/01 - emerged in London and the South East as early as September, Sir Patrick Vallance said at a Downing Street briefing.

Overall Covid cases have more than doubled, as data shows a sharp increase in hospital admissions across London and the South.

Speaking today at a No10 briefing, the Prime Minister said the new strain is up to "70 per cent more transmissible" than the original version of the disease".

He stressed it is early data but told the public "it's the best we have at the moment", adding it could see the R rate increase by 0.4.