Tuesday briefing: 10 million more to enter tier 3 restrictions Alison Rourke
Good morning and welcome to this Tuesday briefing with me, Alison Rourke.
Ten million people across London and parts of the south-east will enter tier 3 restrictions from Wednesday as the government steps up its bid to contain the coronavirus. Coming just two weeks after the national lockdown, and as the vaccine is rolled out, the health secretary Matt Hancock said it was a “salutary warning for the whole country”. He urged people to minimise all social contact, saying: “This isn’t over yet.” When the new restrictions come into force in London and parts of Essex and Hertfordshire, 34 million people will be subject to the strictest rules. Downing Street has insisted the five-day relaxation over Christmas will not be reviewed, but more than 1,000 cases of the new Covid strain across 60 areas has prompted concerns over the potential cost of Christmas gatherings. You can read our Q&