The Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, is due to hold a Downing Street press conference this afternoon to update the nation on efforts to contain the new mutant strain of coronavirus.
He will let people know what measures are in place to contain the spread of the new variant, amid speculation further new areas could face more restrictions within days.
The new variant is believed to be between 50 per cent to 70 per cent more transmissible than other strains of the virus, but is not thought to be any more or any less deadly.
It comes as plans were rumoured to be in the offing to move large swathes of England into Tier 4 from as early as Saturday on Boxing Day.
The five-day Christmas bubble for Tiers 1 to 3 has been slashed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to just one day - Christmas Day - as families are urged to limit their social interactions to prevent a spike in infections.
The government’s Covid operations committee met this morning to consider whether to place more areas into lockdown.
Currently around 17 million people in London and the South East are in a new ‘Tier 4’, which sees all but non-essential shops shut and people told to stay local.
Travel restrictions on ports to the French channel were lifted this morning, although there were chaotic scenes as lorry drivers clashed with police.
Hauliers were urged to stay away by Grant Shapps, the Transport Secretary, as they must have a negative Covid test before they are allowed to proceed.
Professor Neil Ferguson, a member of the government's New and Emergency Virus Threats advisory group (NervTag) warned the new mutant strain has infected swathes of people in the South East and beyond and was "everywhere now".
He told a committee of MPs he expected new measures to help control it, but the critical question is what happens next month.
It is expected at Health Secretary Matt Hancock will speak sometime between 3 pm and 3.30 pm.
