Millions more people in England will be placed under the toughest coronavirus restrictions from New Year’s Eve as the new variant of Covid-19 continued to take hold across the country.
Matt Hancock announced that three-quarters of the population, including the remaining parts of the southeast, and large parts of the midlands, the northwest, the northeast and the southwest, would be living under tier 4 rules from Thursday.
The health secretary said the NHS is “under very significant pressure”, with more than 21,000 people in hospital with coronavirus.
Speaking a day after the UK registered a record 53,135 cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, Mr Hancock said the majority of the latest infections “are believed to be the new variant”.
“Unfortunately, this new variant is now spreading across most of England and cases are doubling fast,” he added.
Boris Johnson previously said that tier 4 measures are “broadly equivalent to the national restrictions that were imposed in November” during the full lockdown, but what can and cannot be done in areas with rapidly rising levels of infection?
What are the exemptions for travel in tier 4?
People living in areas where the tightest restrictions apply have been told they must stay at home and non-essential retail forced to close.
Leaving your own home or garden is forbidden, except where there is a “reasonable excuse”.
The exceptions largely mirror those in place during November’s national lockdown and include support bubbles, childcare bubbles and children whose parents are separated.
People are allowed to travel for education, childcare, to go to work if they cannot work from home and to provide care for vulnerable people.
Unlimited outdoor exercise is still allowed if you are alone or in a public outdoor space with your household, support bubble or one other person if you maintain social distancing.
Leaving home to visit a place of worship, burial ground or to attend a funeral is allowed, as is attending a wedding ceremony, although the latter is only permissible in exceptional circumstances and can involve no more than six people.
Breaking the rules can mean the police can take action and issue fines of up to £10,000.
The coronavirus restrictions will continue to be regularly reviewed.
