Boris Johnson will set out plans for a strengthened three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions to replace the national lockdown in England.
The Prime Minister will also detail a limited relaxation in the rules for over Christmas, which would allow a small number of households to be able to mix for a set number of days.
However Mr Johnson is not expected to be currently in a position to give the specifics.
The PM will make a statement today in the Commons at 3.30pm to MPs, however he will appear virtually as he remains in isolation, as ordered by NHS Test and Trace.
This will be followed by a televised address to the nation at 7pm this evening.
England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and director of the Oxford vaccine group Professor Andrew Pollard will also be at the press conference.
Mr Johnson's winter strategy will also see the proposal to deploy a major testing scheme in an attempt to win over rebels on the Conservative backbenches.
It is understood that he will tell MPs that non-essential shops can open in all three tiers after the current restrictions expire on December 2, in a boost for retailers during the festive period.
The Daily Telegraph report that pubs and restaurants however will face the harshest of the new measures with businesses in the new Tier 3 only allowed to offer takeaways, while those in Tier 2 must serve food with any drinks.
One easing of the lockdown is said to be the 10pm curfew rule for pubs and restaurants.
While last orders must be called at 10pm, people will get an extra hour to finish their food and drinks, with opening hours to be extended until 11pm.
On the post-lockdown plan for England set to be unveiled, Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the tiered system will “have to be stronger” than it was previously.
While there won't be a Tier 4, he said that the top tier "will have to be stronger than the previous Tier 3."
He told BBC Breakfast: "The number of cases is now clearly starting to fall across the whole of the UK. In England, we come to the end of the lockdown as you know on December 2, and so we do think that we can replace the lockdown with a tiered system.
"But the tiered system, whilst lighter than lockdown, will have to be stronger than the previous tiers that were in place."
Ministers will on Thursday set out what tier each area will enter.
