Editing History of the United Kingdom (section)

===COVID-19 pandemic===
{{Main|History of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom}}
Though later reporting indicated that there may have been some cases dating from late 2019,<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 November 2020 |title=Covid started a year ago – but did this bricklayer bring it to UK sooner? |url=https://metro.co.uk/2020/11/17/bricklayer-66-claims-to-be-britains-covid-patient-zero-13609231/ |access-date=8 December 2020 |website=Metro |language=en}}</ref><ref name="choir201912">{{Cite news |date=10 May 2020 |title=Coronavirus doctor's diary: the strange case of the choir that coughed in January |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-52589449}}</ref> COVID-19 was confirmed to be spreading in the UK by the end of January 2020<ref name="Ball31Jan2020">{{Cite news |last1=Ball |first1=Tom |last2=Wace |first2=Charlotte |date=31 January 2020 |title=Hunt for contacts of coronavirus-stricken pair in York |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/healthcare/article/hunt-for-contacts-of-coronavirus-stricken-pair-in-york-dh363qf8k |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |access-date=6 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204105559/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/hunt-for-contacts-of-coronavirus-stricken-pair-in-york-dh363qf8k |archive-date=4 February 2020 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> with the first confirmed deaths in March.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-03-07 |title=Coronavirus: Man in 80s is second person to die of virus in UK |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-51771815 |access-date=2021-10-15}}</ref> The country was initially relatively slow in implementing restrictions.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Yong |first=Ed |date=16 March 2020 |title=The U.K.'s Coronavirus 'Herd Immunity' Debacle |url=https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2020/03/coronavirus-pandemic-herd-immunity-uk-boris-johnson/608065/ |access-date=5 July 2021 |website=The Atlantic |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gadher |first=Jonathan Calvert, George Arbuthnott, Jonathan Leake, Dipesh |title=22 days of dither and delay on coronavirus that cost thousands of British lives |language=en |work=[[The Times]] |url=https://www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/article/three-weeks-of-dither-and-delay-on-coronavirus-that-cost-thousands-of-british-lives-05sjvwv7g |access-date=15 July 2021 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-05-26 |title=Coronavirus: Sports events in March 'caused increased suffering and death' |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-52797002 |access-date=2021-10-15}}</ref> Subsequent epidemiological analysis showed that over 1000 lineages of SARS-CoV-2 entered the UK in early 2020 from international travellers, mostly from [[COVID-19 pandemic in Europe|outbreaks elsewhere in Europe]], leading to numerous clusters that overwhelmed contact tracing efforts.<ref name=":2">{{Cite journal |last1=du Plessis |first1=Louis |last2=McCrone |first2=John T. |last3=Zarebski |first3=Alexander E. |last4=Hill |first4=Verity |last5=Ruis |first5=Christopher |last6=Gutierrez |first6=Bernardo |last7=Raghwani |first7=Jayna |last8=Ashworth |first8=Jordan |last9=Colquhoun |first9=Rachel |last10=Connor |first10=Thomas R. |last11=Faria |first11=Nuno R. |date=2021-02-12 |title=Establishment and lineage dynamics of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in the UK |journal=Science |volume=371 |issue=6530 |pages=708–712 |bibcode=2021Sci...371..708D |doi=10.1126/science.abf2946 |pmc=7877493 |pmid=33419936}}</ref> A legally enforced Stay at Home Order, or lockdown, was introduced on 23 March.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=23 March 2020 |title=Boris Johnson orders three-week lockdown of UK to tackle coronavirus spread |url=https://www.itv.com/news/2020-03-23/boris-johnson-downing-street-coronavirus-update/ |access-date=23 March 2020 |website=ITV News}}</ref> Restrictions were steadily eased across the UK in late spring and early summer that year.<ref name="gov20200510">{{Cite web |title=PM address to the nation on coronavirus: 10 May 2020 |date=10 May 2020 |url=https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/pm-address-to-the-nation-on-coronavirus-10-may-2020 |access-date=10 May 2020 |publisher=Government of the United Kingdom |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=28 May 2020 |title=Coronavirus: Scottish lockdown easing to begin on Friday |work=[[BBC News]] |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-52819189 |access-date=28 May 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=8 June 2020 |title=Non-essentials shops in NI can reopen from Friday |url=https://www.itv.com/news/utv/2020-06-08/non-essentials-shops-in-ni-can-reopen-from-friday |access-date=19 July 2020 |website=ITV News |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=15 June 2020 |title=As it happened: Thousands flock to reopened shops in England |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-53046160 |access-date=14 July 2020 |publisher=BBC}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 June 2020 |title=Shops reopen with strict social distancing measures |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-53116542 |access-date=19 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=29 June 2020 |title=Queues form as doors open for retail return |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-53210774 |access-date=19 July 2020}}</ref> The UK's epidemic in early 2020 was at the time one of the largest and deadliest worldwide.<ref name=":2" />
[[File:Leicester coronavirus stay at home sign, Oxford street.jpg|thumb|Sign encouraging the public to [[Stay-at-home order|stay at home]] and avoid unessential travel in [[Leicester]], January 2021]]
By the Autumn, COVID-19 cases were again rising.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Covid updates: UK records highest daily Covid deaths since 1 July |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/world-54336494 |access-date=2 October 2020 |website=BBC News |language=en-gb}}</ref> This led to the creation of new regulations along with the introduction of the concept of a local lockdown, a variance in restrictions in a more specific geographic location than the four nations of the UK.<ref>{{Cite news |date=12 September 2020 |title=Children will stay part of rule of six, says Gove |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54129158 |access-date=13 September 2020}}</ref><ref name="auto2">{{Cite news |date=18 September 2020 |title=Covid: New restrictions in North West, Midlands, and West Yorkshire |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-54194804 |access-date=19 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 September 2020 |title=Pubs in England to close at 10pm amid Covid spread |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-54242634 |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=22 September 2020 |title=Pubs in Wales to close at 22:00 from Thursday |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-politics-54251114 |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=23 September 2020 |title=Alcohol-only pubs reopen in Northern Ireland |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54253146 |access-date=25 September 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-09-21 |title=Covid: Ban on meeting in houses extended across Scotland |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-54159291 |access-date=2024-08-21 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> Lockdowns took place in Wales, England and Northern Ireland later that season.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 October 2020 |title=Schools to close and tight new hospitality rules in Northern Ireland |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-54533643 |access-date=14 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=19 October 2020 |title=Covid: Wales to go into 'firebreak' lockdown from Friday |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-54598136 |access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-10-31 |title=Covid-19: PM announces four-week England lockdown |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-54763956 |access-date=2024-08-21 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}</ref> A [[SARS-CoV-2 Alpha variant|new variant of the virus]] is thought to have originated in [[Kent]] around September 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Wise |first=Jacqui |date=16 December 2020 |title=Covid-19: New coronavirus variant is identified in UK |pages=m4857 |journal=BMJ |url=https://www.bmj.com/content/371/bmj.m4857 |access-date=19 December 2020 |doi=10.1136/bmj.m4857 |doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name="nervtag">{{Cite web |last=New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group |date=18 December 2020 |title=NERVTAG meeting on SARS-CoV-2 variant under investigation: VUI-202012/01 |url=https://khub.net/documents/135939561/338928724/SARS-CoV-2+variant+under+investigation%2C+meeting+minutes.pdf/962e866b-161f-2fd5-1030-32b6ab467896?t=1608470511452}}</ref> Once restrictions were lifted, the novel variant rapidly spread across the UK.<ref name=":1">{{Cite journal |last1=Kraemer |first1=Moritz U. G. |last2=Hill |first2=Verity |last3=Ruis |first3=Christopher |last4=Dellicour |first4=Simon |last5=Bajaj |first5=Sumali |last6=McCrone |first6=John T. |last7=Baele |first7=Guy |last8=Parag |first8=Kris V. |last9=Battle |first9=Anya Lindström |last10=Gutierrez |first10=Bernardo |last11=Jackson |first11=Ben |last12=Colquhoun |first12=Rachel |last13=O'Toole |first13=Aine |last14=Klein |first14=Brennan |last15=Vespignani |first15=Alessandro |date=2021-08-20 |title=Spatiotemporal invasion dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 lineage B.1.1.7 emergence |journal=Science |volume=373 |issue=6557 |pages=889–895 |bibcode=2021Sci...373..889K |doi=10.1126/science.abj0113 |pmc=9269003 |pmid=34301854 |last16=Volz |first16=Erik |last17=Faria |first17=Nuno |last18=Aanensen |first18=David |last19=Loman |first19=Nicholas |last20=du Plessis |first20=Louis |last21=Cauchemez |first21=Simon |last22=Rambaut |first22=Andrew |last23=Scarpino |first23=Samuel |last24=Pybus |first24=Oliver |s2cid=236209853}}</ref> Its increased transmissibility contributed to a continued increase in daily infections.<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 December 2020 |title=Covid-19: UK reports a record 55,892 daily cases |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55502595 |access-date=1 January 2021}}</ref> The NHS had come under severe strain by late December.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Overwhelmed NHS hospitals diverting patients experts warn of third wave |url=https://www.theweek.co.uk/coronavirus/951524/coronavirus-hospitals-forced-to-divert-patients-as-fears-of-uk-third-wave-grow |access-date=1 January 2021 |website=The Week UK |date=18 December 2020 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=1 January 2021 |title=Covid: 'Nail-biting' weeks ahead for NHS, hospitals in England warn |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55505722 |access-date=1 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Campbell |first=Denis |date=27 December 2020 |title=Hospitals in England told to free up all possible beds for surging Covid cases |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/dec/27/hospitals-in-england-told-to-free-up-all-possible-beds-for-surging-covid-cases |access-date=1 January 2021 |issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=18 December 2020 |title=Pressure on hospitals 'at a really dangerous point' |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/health-55362681 |access-date=1 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=31 December 2020 |title=Covid rule-breakers 'have blood on their hands' |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55479018 |access-date=1 January 2021}}</ref> This led to a tightening of restrictions across the UK.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 January 2021 |title=Covid in Scotland: Scots ordered to stay at home in new lockdown |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-55531069 |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=4 January 2021 |title=Covid: New lockdown for England amid 'hardest weeks' |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55538937 |access-date=4 January 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-12-19 |title=Covid: Wales locks down as Christmas plans cut |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-55379237 |access-date=2021-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2020-12-17 |title=Coronavirus: NI facing six-week lockdown from 26 December |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-55349545 |access-date=2021-10-11}}</ref>

The first COVID-19 vaccine was approved and began its rollout in the UK in early December 2020.<ref name="bbc1vax2">{{Cite news |date=3 December 2020 |title=Covid: First batch of vaccines arrives in the UK |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55181665 |access-date=3 December 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=8 December 2020 |title=Covid-19 vaccine: First person receives Pfizer jab in UK |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-55227325 |access-date=8 December 2020}}</ref> 15 million vaccine doses had been given to predominantly those most vulnerable to the virus by mid-February.<ref>{{Cite news |date=14 February 2021 |title=Covid: Vaccine given to 15 million in UK as PM hails 'extraordinary feat' |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56062976 |access-date=14 February 2021}}</ref> 6 months later more than 75% of adults in the UK were fully vaccinated against COVID-19.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 August 2021 |title=Covid-19: More than 75% of UK adults now double-jabbed |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-58162318 |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> Restrictions began to ease from late February onwards and almost all had ended in Great Britain by August.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-02-23 |title=What's the roadmap for lifting lockdown? – BBC News |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518 |access-date=2021-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210223083856/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/explainers-52530518 |archive-date=23 February 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-07-19 |title=19 July: England Covid restrictions ease as PM urges caution |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57882029 |access-date=2021-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=7 August 2021 |title=Covid: Pubs busy as most rules end in Wales |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-wales-58086808 |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=9 August 2021 |title=Covid in Scotland: 'Right moment' to lift restrictions, says Sturgeon |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-58136277 |access-date=17 August 2021}}</ref> A third wave of daily infections began in July 2021 due to the arrival and rapid spread of the highly transmissible [[SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant]].<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal |last=Callaway |first=Ewen |date=22 June 2021 |title=Delta coronavirus variant: scientists brace for impact |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01696-3 |journal=Nature |language=en |volume=595 |issue=7865 |pages=17–18 |bibcode=2021Natur.595...17C |doi=10.1038/d41586-021-01696-3 |pmid=34158664 |s2cid=235609029}}</ref> However, mass vaccination continued to keep deaths and hospitalisations at much lower levels than in previous waves.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2021-07-05 |title=Covid: Most rules set to end in England, says PM |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-57725523 |access-date=2021-10-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-07-02 |title='We are a petri dish': world watches UK's race between vaccine and virus |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/jul/02/we-are-a-petri-dish-world-watches-uks-race-between-vaccine-and-virus |access-date=2021-10-15 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> During the third COVID wave, in the light of highly transmissible [[Omicron variant]], the U.K. was also the acclaim of a new hybrid strain, Deltacron variant, which pre-dominated the country until April 2022 ahead of the [[Endemic COVID-19|endemic phase]] alongside [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]], [[Finland]], [[Cyprus]], [[Slovenia]], [[Croatia]], and others.