Cambridgeshire to be placed into Tier 4 on Boxing Day

Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement at a press conference this afternoon.

The move means all non-essential shops will have to close, and there will be heavier restrictions on how many people can meet.

The decision has been made as the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise across the east and south east of England. It is thought a new strain of the virus is causing the rise.

Northamptonshire - including Bourne and Oundle - will also be changing tier, moving from 2 into 3,

Nofolk will be moving into tier 4.

Speaking at a Downing Street press conference, Mr Hancock said: “From 00.01 on Boxing Day Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, those parts of Essex not yet in Tier 4, Waverley in Surrey and Hampshire including Portsmouth and Southampton but with the exception of the New Forest will all be escalated to Tier 4.”

The reproduction number for coronavirus in the UK – the R value – is now reckoned to be between 1.1 and 1.3, latest Government data suggests.

Cases will continue to grow as long as the rate is above 1.0.

The figure is highest in the East of England and in London, with an R value of 1.2 to 1.5. This means that every 10 people infected will infect between 12 and 15 further people.

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