LONDON—British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced a series of new coronavirus restrictions for England, including earlier pub-closing times, as his government tries to quell a second wave of infections while avoiding another economically damaging nationwide lockdown.
In an address to Parliament, Mr. Johnson unveiled both tightening and tougher enforcement of social-distancing rules, with fines of up to 10,000 pounds, equivalent to $12,800, for businesses that fail to adhere to them.
The government, however, has so far held off banning people from visiting other households or ordering them to stay at home, worried about the knock-on effects on the economy.
“As in Spain and France and many other counties, we have reached a perilous turning point,” said Mr. Johnson. “We reserve the right to deploy greater fire power…I fervently want to avoid taking this step.”
The conundrum faced by Mr. Johnson is one that is playing out across Europe as a wave of infections takes hold. So far, European governments have largely avoided imposing new wide-scale lockdowns. Chastened by the first wave of Covid-19, which left the U.K. with the highest death rate and the biggest economic slump in Europe, Mr. Johnson’s government is again trying to strike a balance between taming the virus and reviving the economy.