This is when changes to England's Covid tiers will be announced by Health Secretary Matt Hancock

Areas across the North East and Tees Valley remained under Tier 3 restictions – the ‘very high’ Covid alert level – at previous reviews earlier this month.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock addressed the nation in a press conference on Wednesday, December 23 and announced tier changes for a raft of locations across the country from Boxing Day.

Some areas joined London and large parts of the South East in being placed under the new Tier 4 alert, which follows similar rules to the second month-long national lockdown in November.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman confirmed on Tuesday, December 29 that Mr Hancock would next announce any additional changes to tier areas in a statement to the Commons on Wednesday afternoon.

The statement came as part of a Westminster briefing, in which the spokesman also said the Government is “still planning for a staggered opening of schools” after Christmas but is keeping the plan under constant review.

They added: “We’re still planning for a staggered opening of schools and we are working to ensure testing is in place.

“As we have said throughout the pandemic, we obviously keep all measures under constant review.”

Meanwhile, a member of the Government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group warned on Tuesday that national coronavirus restrictions are needed to prevent a “catastrophe” at the start of 2021.

Andrew Hayward, professor of infectious diseases epidemiology at University College London, was speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

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