Boris Johnson has responded to claims regional lockdown tiers could be scrapped and national lockdown could continue even after coronavirus infection rates fall.
According to reports, some ministers believe that a national system, with the same restrictions everywhere, is the best way to prevent the virus spreading from high-infection areas to low-infection areas.
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It might also be less politically divisive.
But there are fears that returning to national restrictions would lead to a slower lockdown release because areas with lower cases would have to wait for those with higher levels to come down before things were eased up - reports Mail Online.
The Prime Minister is said to be looking at the effectiveness of the tier system again and is considering easing lockdown measures nationally.
However, Downing Street refused to say whether England would return to a tiered system of coronavirus restrictions when the national lockdown is eased.
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The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "By mid-February, we will expect to have a clearer idea on the effect that the vaccine programme is having on hospital admissions, on deaths as well as the transmission rate of the virus across the country.
"It remains the case that we will review that data in the week of the 15th of February, and we will then, during the week of the 22nd of February, set out our plan for the gradual easing of restrictions based on the evidence reviewed."
