Benzinga | Jan 4, 2021 04:31PM EST

UK PM Boris Johnson Announces Another National Coronavirus Lockdown

U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Monday that England will enter another national lockdown that will help contain the spread of a new COVID-19 variant.

What Happened: U.K. citizens will be barred from leaving their homes in an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus spread and the measures will become law in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Level five, which is red, means there is a "material risk of health care services being overwhelmed" -- and extremely strict social distancing must be adhered to.

Why It's Important: In a television broadcast, Johnson said: "I really do believe we are entering the last phase of the struggle with every jab that goes into every arm ... we are tilting the odds," but "for now I'm afraid, you must stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives."

The tougher measures have been enacted after the U.K. recorded 58,784 new coronavirus cases, which is estimated to be the highest daily total since the pandemic started.

What's Next: The U.K. has already started vaccinating citizens and most recently authorized the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine, which will lead to a massive expansion in the U.K.'s immunization campaign, as it is cheaper and easier to mass produce.

The U.K. has identified priority groups for immunization, including the elderly, care home residents and health care workers.

Related Link: AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine Gets UK Nod For Emergency Use