COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic spread to the United Kingdom in late January 2020. As of , cases of COVID-19 have been reported, and people have died of COVID-19.
Numbers
More than 90% of those dying had underlying illnesses or were over 60 years old. The infection rate was higher in care homes than in the community. There were large regional difference in the outbreak's severity. The outbreak in London had the highest total number and the most infections. England and Wales were the UK countries with the highest recorded death rate per head, and Northern Ireland had the lowest.
Government response before the pandemic
The Department of Health and Social Care created a public health campaign to help slow the virus's spread, and began posting daily updates in early February.
In February, the Heath Secretary, Matt Hancock, proposed the Health Protection (Coronavirus) Regulations 2020. Hospitals set up drive-through screening (testing for the disease). The Chief Medical Officer for England, Chris Whitty, created a four-stage strategy to tackle the outbreak: contain, delay, research and mitigate (help, lessen).
Cases
First cases in the United Kingdom were on on 28 February, and by 1March there were cases in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
Government response during the pandemic
The government created the Coronavirus Action Plan, and said the outbreak a "level 4 incident".
On 11 March, the outbreak was declared a pandemic. Four days later--following the outbreak in Italy, the government said everyone should avoid all "non-essential" travel and contact with others, avoid crowds, and work from home if possible. Those with symptoms, and their household, were asked to self-isolate.
Pregnant women, the over 70s, and those with certain illnesses were asked to self-isolate for longer. Panic buying was reported.
Lockdowns
On 20 March 2020, the four governments shut all schools, restaurants, pubs, indoor entertainment venues and leisure centres, with some exceptions. On 23 March, the UK government made a lockdown on the whole population, banning all "non-essential" travel and contact with people outside one's home and shutting almost all businesses, venues, facilities, amenities and places of worship.
People were told to keep apart in public. Police were given the power to enforce the lockdown, and the Coronavirus Act 2020 gave the government emergency powers not used since the Second World War.
More lockdowns took place in October, November and December 2020. Different places had different rules. A national lockdown in England began on 5 January 2021.
Effects
It is said that the lockdown will severely damage the UK economy, lead to millions of job losses, worsen mental health and suicide rates, and cause "collateral" deaths due to isolation, delays and falling living standards.
Researchers suggest the lockdown could be lifted by shielding only the most vulnerable and using contact tracing.
Some schools stayed open to teach the children of essential workers, at-risk children, and children with special education needs. However, adults who work for disabled students' rights told Parliament that British educators had unfairly sent special education students home without good reasons.