(Alliance News) - No new social distancing restrictions to combat the spread of coronavirus will be introduced "today or tomorrow", UK Home Secretary Priti Patel said Thursday, amid suggestions that tougher measures could be imposed next week.
Patel said the UK government was continuing to focus on the enforcement of current lockdown measures in England, but did not rule out further restrictions being introduced in the future.
With the National Health Service under extraordinary pressures, there are concerns that the current restrictions may not be enough to bring the infection rate under control, particularly with the highly-transmissible new variant.
UK government ministers are reportedly considering tougher measures such as requiring masks to be worn outdoors and only allowing exercise with those within one's household bubble, but are not planning on introducing these measures until next week at the earliest.
Patel stressed the stay at home message currently in place as ministers focus for now on trying to ensure maximum compliance with the existing regulations.
Asked whether further restrictions could include a three-metre social distancing rule, or the requirement to wear masks outside, she told ITV's This Morning: "The plans are very much to enforce the rules.
"This isn't about new rules coming in – we're going to stick with enforcing the current measures."
But she did not rule out new measures being announced next week, limiting her comments to: "We are not thinking about bringing in new measures today or tomorrow."
Scotland has toughened its lockdown restrictions to include reducing click and collect services to only those deemed essential from Saturday.
Customers will be barred from entering eateries so that they will have to be handed over takeaway food or drinks at a door or hatch.
Labour leader Keir Starmer has said the current measures in England are "not strong enough" and accused Prime Minister Boris Johnson of being "slow to act".
Johnson said he would not rule out imposing tougher measures if required.
By Sam Blewett, PA Political Correspondent
source: PA
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