England's 56 million people have entered a second coronavirus lockdown with more doubts about the stringent policy than the first time around.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson abandoned a recently introduced system of regional curbs and announced an England-wide shutdown, after dire warnings that hospitals could soon be overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases.
The death toll is hitting six-month highs. But while opinion polls suggest overall public backing for the stay-at-home policy, concerns are mounting about the impact on the economy and on mental health.
A sizeable minority of 32 governing Conservative MPs voted against the measures yesterday. When the country entered its first lockdown in March, support was strong.