PRIME Minister Boris Johnson has declared everyone in England must stay at home except for permitted reasons as a third coronavirus lockdown starts at midnight.
All schools and colleges will close to most pupils and switch to remote learning until the middle of February.
In a televised address, the PM urged people to follow the rules immediately amid surging cases and patient numbers.
He said those in the top four priority groups would receive a first vaccine dose by mid-February.
Speaking from Downing Street, Mr Johnson said the weeks ahead would be the “hardest yet”.
But he added that he believed the country was entering “the last phase of the struggle”.
