European governments are struggling to contain a fresh wave of the pandemic, which has now infected more than 11 million across the continent.
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced an England-wide shutdown as daily death tolls hit their worst levels since May and with warnings that hospitals could soon be overwhelmed.
The move prompted crowds across the nation to queue outside soon-to-close shops, book a last-minute haircut or head to the pub for a final pint, as business owners fretted over the impact of the lockdown on their bottom line.
In this country, as across much of Europe, the virus is spreading even faster than the reasonable worst case scenario of our scientific advisers.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) October 31, 2020
If we fail to take action, then there is a real risk of depriving non-Covid patients of the care that they need from the NHS (1/10)
The new restrictions run until 2 December and mandate a return to working from home where possible, along with the closure of all non-essential shops and services. Schools will stay open.
Britain is among the world's hardest-hit countries with just over a million virus cases and nearly 48,000 deaths.
England's lockdown follows similar measures in the other nations of the United Kingdom -- Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland -- as well as France and Germany.
Parts of Italy will join that list from Friday, with shops selling non-essential goods to be shut in hard-hit areas and people largely confined to their homes except for work, health and emergency reasons.
Authorities in Rome have also announced a nationwide curfew between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am.
"We don't have alternatives," Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said during a televised press conference on Wednesday night.
— Giuseppe Conte (@GiuseppeConteIT) November 4, 2020
Russian President Vladimir Putin recently said he had no plans for a lockdown but that resolve may be tested after the country set two new records Wednesday -- for daily infections, at nearly 20,000, and daily death toll, at nearly 400.
