THE country is to go into lockdown for a month, the Prime Minister has announced this evening.

All hospitality venues and non-essential shops will be barred from opening, but schools and universities will be allowed to remain open.

Boris Johnson said that unless the Government acts, deaths from Covid could run into thousands every day.

He said the overrunning of the NHS would be a disaster, meaning doctors and nurses being forced to choose between who would live and die, and choose between treating Covid patients and non-Covid patients.

"The risk is that for the first time in our lives, the NHS will not be there for us," said Mr Johnson.

"So now is the time to take action because there is no alternative.

"So from Thursday you must stay at home."

However, he said there would be exceptions to the stay-at-home rules, for example to take exercise, or to go to work in jobs which could not be done from home.

But he said non-essential shops and leisure facilities must close, as must pubs, bars and restaurants, except for takeaway and delivery services.

He announced an extension of the furlough scheme from November 5 through until early December.

He said schools will stay open and it was vital that education was not damaged any further, and people should still access NHS services through the winter, and go for appointments. He said Parliament will vote on the measures on Monday.

 The Prime Minister said that while scientists are gloomy about the short term, they are optimistic about the medium and long term future.

"I am optimistic that this will feel very different and better by the spring," he said, referring to rapid turnaround tests which could tell people if they are infected within ten to 15 minutes.

"We plan a massive expansion of these turnaround tests," he said.

He said whole towns and cities could be tested, and the army was being brought in to assist. 

Earlier, Chief Medical Officer, Professor Chris Whitty, showed graphs which revealed dramatically increasing numbers of cases and patients being treated in hospital. 

Sir Patrick Vallance, the Chief Scientific Adviser, said projections showed there could be twice as many deaths over the winter as happened in the first wave in the spring.

"It's a very grim picture,"he said.