What is a circuit breaker? 2 week UK Covid lockdown measure explained - and if it will be after Christmas 2021

A new wave of Covid infections driven by the highly transmissible Omicron variant is causing concern throughout society this festive season.

Case numbers remain consistently high despite new measures being introduced to help stop the spread of the virus, with the NHS under pressure once more.

Such is the spread of the new strain, identified towards the end of November in South Africa, that it has sparked discussion around how best to reduce infection rates in the UK.

This is what the government, health experts and political commentators mean when they talk about the possibility of introducing a ‘circuit breaker’ to halt the spread of Covid - and why…

What does a Covid circuit breaker mean?

In Covid terms, a circuit breaker is a set of restrictions implemented to reduce the spread of the virus - and is similar to the lockdown measures which have been used in the past.

A circuit breaker, however, has a fixed time frame, rather than an open-ended call on the nation to limit social contact and to stay at home whenever possible amid the Covid pandemic.

The idea behind them is to give people and businesses a clear time frame in which to work and plan accordingly during the period of a circuit breaker, which is likely to be for a few short weeks.

It is hoped by outlining the start and end dates that the impact on society will be less damaging.

Why might a Covid circuit breaker be used?

A circuit breaker could be used in an attempt to hold back the spread of Covid, in particular fast spreading strains such as the Omicron variant.

Restrictions could go further than the Plan B operation currently adopted which requires people to work from home and wear face masks in indoor settings.

According to reports, the options being discussed include:

• limiting the number of people that can meet indoors
• restrictions on households mixing, return of social distancing and hospitality curfew
• full lockdown, including ‘stay at home’ order

When might a Covid circuit breaker be used?

The restrictions above will look and feel very similar to the national lockdowns experienced at the height of the first and second waves of Covid infection rates.

The UK is currently experiencing a third wave of Covid, driven by the highly contagious Omicron variant, which has seen daily infection rates reach new highs pre Christmas 2021.

A circuit breaker could act as a way to reduce social mixing and in turn slow down the spread of the Omicron variant, with the reported daily cases consistently exceeding the first two waves.

Health experts have already warned of a realistic threat of the NHS being overwhelmed by the surge in Covid infections and subsequent increase in hospital admissions across the country.

This pressure is more acute during the winter months when viruses tend to spread more quickly.

Some Sunday newspapers reported the government is considering a ‘two week circuit breaker’ to be announced as early as Boxing Day and be introduced from 27 and 28 December.

Has a Covid circuit breaker been used before?

The UK as a whole has not yet introduced a circuit breaker whereby all four nations have agreed to the same set of restrictions.

But the devolved nations of Wales and Northern Ireland have used similar measures to limit the spread of Covid in the run up to last Christmas.

In November 2020, Wales put in place a ‘firebreak’ to try and stem the tide of Covid cases, and Northern Ireland also introduced something similar.

Such a move would be controversial among the UK government as tensions rise in the Tory party between the need for strict measures and public health advice.

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