British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday imposed a tiered system of further restrictions on parts of England including closing some pubs as the Covid-19 outbreak accelerates, though anger is rising at the cost of the curtailment of freedoms.

Johnson’s three-tier system, announced in Parliament, is an attempt to standardise a patchwork of often complicated and confusing restrictions imposed across England. Lawmakers will vote on the move.

The lockdowns will include shutting pubs and bars in areas placed into the “very high” alert level. So far, Merseyside is the only area yet in that category and there gyms, leisure centres, betting shops, adult gaming centres and casinos will also close, Johnson said.

“We must act to save lives,” Johnson told Parliament.

“If we let the virus rip, then the bleak mathematics dictate that we would suffer not only an intolerable death toll from Covid, but we would put such a huge strain on our NHS with an uncontrolled second spike that our doctors and nurses would simply be unable to devote
themselves to other treatments.”