Millions of people in England will be plunged into strict new Tier Four restrictions from midnight tonight. Under the new rules, Christmas bubbles have been cancelled and non-essential shops will be forced to close.
Tier 4 residents will be subject to a stay at home order, and must not stay overnight anywhere other than their own home. In a press conference, Prime Minister Boris Johnson explained a new variant of coronavirus, believed to be up to 70% more transmissible than the early variant of the disease, has emerged.
This has prompted the government to introduce strict new Tier 4 measures to curb the spread of the disease in the most affected areas.