UK's Johnson slams brakes on reopening as COVID cases surge

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson slammed the brakes Tuesday on the country’s return to offices and a normal social life, saying the U.K. was at a “perilous turning point” in its fight against coronavirus.

Saying that Britain had to act now or face a huge second wave of the disease, Johnson announced a package of new restrictions, including requiring pubs, restaurants and other entertainment venues in England to close down between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., and urging people to work from home where possible.

“This is the moment when we must act,” he said, warning that the measures might have to remain in place for six months.

People will have to wear face-masks in taxis as well as on public transport. The size of gatherings is being curtailed, with weddings limited to 15 people instead of 30. A plan to bring spectators back to sports stadiums starting in October is being put on hold.

The British government is also increasing the penalties for breaking the rules.

The announcement comes a day after the British government’s top scientific and medical advisers said new coronavirus infections were doubling every seven days in the country and could rise to 49,000 a day by mid-October if nothing was done to stem the tide.

On Monday, the government reported 4,300 new confirmed cases, the highest number since May.

The U.K. has gradually been increasing restrictions as cases rise, including barring people from meeting in large groups. But the measures are less stringent than a nationwide lockdown imposed in March that confined most of the population and closed most businesses. Britain eased its lockdown starting in June as cases began to fall, but that trend has now been reversed.

Some lawmakers from the governing Conservative Party are uneasy about...