WITH the number of people being admitted to hospitals with coronavirus more than doubling compared to pre-Christmas levels, the decision to introduce a new lockdown has been backed.

MPs and hospital leaders said Monday’s announcement by prime minister Boris Johnson was “sobering” but welcomed the scaling up of the vaccination programme.

The decision to introduce a third lockdown across England was made in the face of continuing infection rate rises and concerns hospitals could become overwhelmed.

Speaking on Monday, Mr Johnson said the NHS was under “more pressure from Covid than at any time since the start of the pandemic”. A record number of more than 60,000 cases was confirmed on Tuesday.

But he said he thought the country was now in “the last phase of the struggle”, announcing efforts to vaccinate the most vulnerable would be stepped up.

This followed the start of the roll-out of the Oxford-AstraZeneca jabs.

Bournemouth East MP Tobias Ellwood said the prime minister’s comments were “sobering” but said there was “hope and clarity” with a target to vaccinate the country’s 14 million most vulnerable people by the middle of February.

“The situation recently here has very much reflected the national picture with rising cases and hospitalisations, particularly worrying is the rate among the over-60s,” he said.

“It’s rising in all categories in Dorset.

“But what we have this time in six weeks of clarity through an ambitious vaccine programme. It’s a tough target and I still strongly believe we need logistical support from the Army and I will be ask the prime minister for that.

“We need to be cautious with our optimism but we can be ambitious while also reflecting that we are still in the darkest chapter.”

Similar support was given by University Hospitals Dorset chief operating officer, Mark Mould, who, writing on Twitter, said it was the “right response”.

He said the number of coronavirus inpatients within its hospitals had “more than doubled” from levels seen before Christmas.

Despite the increasing pressure this is putting on the trust, its deputy chief medical officer, Dr Matt Thomas, urged people to continue to attend for scheduled appointments or procedures.

However, the news of the new lockdown has brought concerns among the hospitality industry to the fore again.

Andy Lennox, the founder of business group the Wonky Table, has said the sector is now “running on fumes” and needs more financial support.

Writing to Mr Johnson and chancellor Rishi Sunak, he called for a new specific grant for the industry, an extension of the five per cent VAT rat and a 12-month rate relief extension.

On Tuesday Mr Sunak announced new grants of up to £9,000 per property, would be available for retail, hospitality and leisure businesses but he has been urged to go further.