Yahoo Finance's Tom Belger breaks down the latest restrictions in the UK to stop coronavirus cases from further rising. UK prime minister Boris Johnson has announced a string of new curbs on everyday life in England, warning they could last six months as the country struggles to contain rising coronavirus cases. Johnson told MPs in parliament on Tuesday: “We always knew that while we might have driven the virus into retreat, the prospect of a second wave was real and I’m sorry to say that, as in Spain and France and many other countries, we’ve reached a perilous turning point.” He said no government wanted to “stifle our freedoms,” but the UK had to act now to avoid “still graver consequences later on” with infection, hospitalisation and death rates again rising across Britain. The prime minister detailed a string of new restrictions in England, with similar measures expected to be announced soon by devolved administrations in the rest of the UK: Retail staff, taxi and private hire users, and hospitality customers not seated will have to wear face masks. COVID-secure guidelines for retail, tourism, leisure and other sectors will become “legal obligations.” Businesses who break COVID-19 rules will risk fines, Johnson added. Hospitality firms will have to close altogether at 10pm, not merely ceasing trading as some in the industry had hoped, and offer table service only. Attendance numbers for wedding ceremonies and receptions will be slashed from 30 to 15 from Monday, and a six-person limit applied to adult indoor sports, though the cap on funeral numbers remains at 30. Penalties for not wearing masks or breaking the “rule of six” will double to £200. Plans to reopen conferences and large sporting events have been put on hold. Office workers are now being urged to work from home where possible. Johnson warned if the actions failed to bring the R rate below 1, the government “reserved the right to deploy greater firepower” with tighter restrictions. “Unless we palpably make progress, we should assume that the restrictions I have announced will remain in place for perhaps six months,” he added. He apologised to firms “getting back on their feet,” but said action was needed to stop transmission in bars and restaurants. But he said the rules were “by no means a return to the full lockdown of March.” There was no general order to stay at home, and the prime minister said the measures allowed the continued operation of the “vast majority of the UK economy.” The prime minister will also give a televised speech to the country later in the day, in a bid to raise awareness of the government’s latest change of stance just a week after it introduced the “rule of six.” Cabinet minister Michael Gove had told broadcasters earlier on Tuesday there would be a “shift in emphasis” on workplaces, with the public told to work from home where possible. It marks a radical shift in policy, with millions of workers previously encouraged to return to workplaces in a bid to revive ailing town and city centres. The curfew proposals have knocked leisure stocks this week, and have already sparked a backlash from leading hospitality figures. They mark a stark reversal of the support given to firms and diners through last month’s Eat Out to Help Out scheme. Kate Nicholls, chief executive of the UKHospitality trade body, warned the curfew could have a “significant economic impact,” hitting as much as 50% of revenues if firms had to shut their doors by 10pm. Consumer organisation Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA) has warned communities could “lose their local forever” without more support for firms. CAMRA is calling for the government to “reintroduce the furlough scheme for hospitality venues, extend the business rates holiday for another year, take steps to resolve the rent crisis facing the sector and drastically cut draught beer duty.” CAMRA chief executive Tom Stainer said: “Pub-goers and publicans alike want to stop the spread of COVID-19, but this curfew is an arbitrary restriction that unfairly targets the hospitality sector and will have a devastating impact on pubs, jobs and local communities.” For more on this article please visit: https://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/boris-johnson-speech-today-announcement-time-115134319.html Subscribe to Yahoo Finance: https://yhoo.it/2fGu5Bb About Yahoo Finance: At Yahoo Finance, you get free stock quotes, up-to-date news, portfolio management resources, international market data, social interaction and mortgage rates that help you manage your financial life. Connect with Yahoo Finance: Get the latest news: https://yhoo.it/2fGu5Bb Find Yahoo Finance on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2A9u5Zq Follow Yahoo Finance on Twitter: http://bit.ly/2LMgloP Follow Yahoo Finance on Instagram: http://bit.ly/2LOpNYz Follow Cashay.com Follow Yahoo Finance Premium on Twitter: https://bit.ly/3hhcnmV