Monday, scholars urged the British authorities to expand lockdown measures in the country, to include all of the country under the ‘most dangerous’ classification in attempts to contain the outbreak of the new strain in the pandemic which has crossed borders and traveled worldwide.

London, and several areas of south and east England were subjected to the most dangerous ‘tier 4’ classification restrictions earlier December.

‘Tier 4’ obligates citizens to stay in their homes, and establishments such as restaurants and bars face closures.

The rest of the country is subject to other strict closures, with about 40 percent of England's population (around 24 million people) currently under tight restrictions, while general lockdown measures have begun to take effect in Scotland and Northern Ireland.

According to The Guardian, scientists said that more stringent measures are needed at the present time.

A group of scientists from the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) stated that all areas in England should be subjected to the strictest closures, adding that restrictions should include travel.

Additionally, an emergency plan for ‘safe education’ should be proposed soon, they added. This is an idea supported by the British teachers’ unions, which have demanded that educational institutions remain closed, as mounts of evidence appear that the new strain is spreading among children.

A University of East Anglia Professor of Medicine Paul Hunter, said that if the new strain is behind the outbreak among children, this is a major concern.

Earlier in December, Britain announced the discovery of a new strain, which it said was the reason behind the surge in the number of infected people in the country, and a number of countries around the world have also recorded infections with the new strain.