Is the UK going into a second lockdown?

On Thursday the country’s Covid-19 alert level was increased from level 3 to level 4, meaning transmission of the virus is 'high or rising exponentially'. Health secretary Matt Hancock said this reflected “the significant shift in the current threat posed by coronavirus and warned the UK ”now faces a tipping point in its response'. Sir Patrick Vallance, the government’s chief scientific adviser, told a televised Downing Street briefing the epidemic was “doubling roughly every seven days” and that there was 'no doubt' numbers were increasing among all age groups. Appearing alongside England's chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty, Sir Patrick warned of a “very serious” threat from Covid-19 over the next six months.