Irish premier Micheal Martin extended the country s lockdown for six weeks
Taoiseach said that Level 5 restrictions will remain in place until after Easter
He refused to give specific timelines amid concern over spread of Kent variant
Cabinet signed off on plan to ease lockdown after a year of business closure
People must stay home unless for essential reasons and must work from home
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Britons are living under the sixth strictest lockdown in the world – and the second harshest in Europe – according to an analysis by the University of Oxford.
Researchers have ranked the pandemic responses of 180 countries on a stringency map by looking at how Covid restrictions have affected schools, offices, social gatherings, international travel and freedom to leave home.
Each country was scored on a scale of one to 100, with a higher figure indicating the most severe virus-controlling curbs. The numbers represented an average since the start of the pandemic.
The team put Britain s Covid restrictions at 86.11 out of 100 by February 17, using the latest available data. Britain s lockdown was ranked harsher than France (63.89) and the US (68.06), and stricter than Germany s (83.33).
Oxford University researchers found the UK had the sixth harshest restrictions. Separate data from OurWorldInData.com showed the UK has suffered the fourth highest death toll of the pandemic.
Britain s lockdown is one of the toughest in the WORLD, study claims msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.