Places where coronavirus cases rise again will be put under "local lockdown", Health Secretary Matt Hancock has said. The cabinet member warned that flare-ups will mean hotspots will see individual areas put under tighter restrictions.
This could lead to local schools, businesses or workplaces being closed in areas with high prevalence of infection, it said.
Mr Hancock said the ability to tighten restrictions in individual regions will be part of the NHS test, track and trace system - which is set to expand on Monday next week.
Mr Hancock told the daily press briefing at 10 Downing Street that local lockdowns is now the government's preferred option to deal with spikes in new infections.