Here's what Boris Johnson and experts are saying about the likelihood of a second lockdown

As rules on social gatherings in the UK are tightened, Prime Minister Boris Johnson and First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have warned about the need to act now in order to avoid a second lockdown. 

Rules limiting gatherings to just six people were introduced this week and mark the first significant reverse step in both the Scottish and the Westminster Government’s move out of lockdown since restrictions began easing in May. 

The rules came as cases across the country began to rise steeply with the UK recording close to 3,000 new positive cases on September 10. 

Does this steep rise in cases and reversal of post-lockdown measures mean that the UK is heading for a second strict lockdown?

Why have restrictions been introduced?

From September 14 social gatherings will be limited to six people with limited exemptions.This will apply to indoor and outdoor settings including public settings such as pubs, cafes and parks, as well as private homes.

Chief Medical Officer Professor Christ Whitty explained that the rules were being introduced due to a spike in cases, during a press briefing on September 9. 

He explained that cases had risen “far more rapidly” in the previous week especially among 17 to 21-year-olds. 

Why are cases rising? 

The number of positive cases recorded in recent days - well over 2,000 a day - is four times higher than the rate seen in mid-July when the UK was emerging from lockdown, but this comparison is deceptive. 

The highest number of recorded cases in the UK took place in Mid-April during the national lockdown with 6,000 cases recorded on a regular basis, but experts suggest that this peak was in fact far higher. Due to a capacity, testing was limited to hospital patients. 

Experts at London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine have suggested that there could have been as many as 100,000 positive cases a day at the end of March.

With the UK’s testing regime now scaled up and far more sophisticated, cases are increasing as a result, but not as drastically as they were in March and April.

Cases have likely risen in recent weeks due to the continued unlocking of the UK’s economy, the reopening of schools and the loosening of restrictions on socialising.