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Many areas of England entered stricter restrictions at 12:01 AM on Boxing Day, Matt Hancock announced on December 23.
At a press conference in Downing Street, Hancock said: “From 12:01 on Boxing Day Sussex, Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, those parts of Essex that are not yet on Level 4, Waverley in Surrey and Hampshire, including Portsmouth and Southampton with the exception of the New Forest, all will climb to Level 4. “
Additionally, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Somerset, Swindon, Isle of Wight, New Forest, North Hampshire, Cheshire, and Warrington were upgraded to Level 3 on December 26.
Cornwall and Hertfordshire have been placed on Level 2.
Boris Johnson announced the new Level 4 restrictions on December 19, and London, the South East and the East of England were blocked on December 20.
The new level rules are broadly equivalent to the national restrictions, which were introduced in England in November.
Residents in these areas must stay home, with limited exceptions. International travel from these areas is prohibited and people should not enter or leave Level 4 areas. However, community worship may continue.
Level 4: what are the new rules and how do they affect Christmas plans?
When is the next level review?
The levels are reviewed every fortnight. The current restrictions will be reviewed on December 30.
These reviews determine whether areas will move down one level, stay the same, or move up one level.
However, the Prime Minister urged that New Year’s Eve be not without restrictions on socializing.
Government sources have also admitted that the Level 4 restrictions could be further tightened and remain in place until around Easter.
The Prime Minister said he had introduced new measures “with a heavy heart” as he also announced changes in advice around Christmas, with “Christmas bubbles” only allowed on Christmas Day, as opposed to the relaxation of five days it had initially been in place. Level 4 areas were unable to combine households on Christmas Day.
The new restrictions came into effect after an increase in cases in south-east England, which Johnson said was “driven by the new strain of the virus.”
While there is no evidence that it causes more severe disease or higher mortality, “it may be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the previous variant,” he said, adding that this is early data and subject to review.
Level 4 now includes Greater London, South and West Essex: Basildon, Brentwood, Harlow, Epping Forest, Castle Point, Rochford, Maldon, Braintree and Chelmsford, along with the townships of Thurrock and Southend-On-Sea, and southern Hertfordshire, which means Broxbourne, Hertsmere, Watford and the local authority of Three Rivers.
Use our zip code tool to find out what level you are at right now.
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