Boris Johnson expected to announce Tier 4 Covid measures - what does it mean for Leeds and Yorkshire?

Boris Johnson is holding emergency talks with Cabinet ministers as scientists confirmed that the new variant coronavirus was spreading more rapidly.

Following the lunchtime conference call with ministers, Mr Johnson will hold a press conference with chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and the Government’s chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick Vallance at 4pm.

It is the second meeting in less than 24 hours that the Prime Minister has held on the issue – underlining the strength of concerns around the new variant.

Prof Whitty said the UK had now informed the World Health Organisation that it had concluded the mutant strain could spread more quickly.

What would new Tier 4 restrictions mean for Leeds and Yorkshire?

Latest figures from the Government’s Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (Sage) showed the R number for the UK was estimated to have risen to between 1.1 and 1.2 – which means the disease is growing again.

Much of the the latest focus is on the South and East of England where the new variant is thought to be most prevalent. The areas with the highest rates of infection may see stricter Tier 4 measures introduced.

At the same time, there are concerns about a possible upward spike in cases as rules on households mixing are relaxed over the Christmas period.

-> These Leeds areas are almost free of Covid with less than five new cases in the last week

The infection rate across most areas in Yorkshire is falling, bucking the national trend.

The rate in Leeds has risen slightly in the last seven days, up from 139.2 to 140.5, but remains lower than many Tier 2 areas across the country.

If the rate in Leeds remains stable or begins to fall again, it is unlikely that the city will see stricter measures introduced.

But with the Government reportedly set to announce travel restrictions for people travelling into and out of new Tier 4 areas, people in Tier 2 and Tier 3 areas in Yorkshire could be prevented from seeing family in London or the South East over Christmas.

And those living in Tier 4 areas could be banned from visiting family in Yorkshire.

Will there be a third national lockdown?

Mr Johnson refused to rule out a third national lockdown for England – a move he has previously been deeply reluctant to contemplate.

The Prime Minister said rates of infection have increased “very much in the last few weeks”, as pressure grows on the Government to do more to tackle the rise.

Speaking during a visit to Greater Manchester on Friday, Mr Johnson was asked whether England would follow Northern Ireland in imposing stringent restrictions after the festive period.

He said: “We’re hoping very much that we will be able to avoid anything like that. But the reality is that the rates of infection have increased very much in the last few weeks.”

Wales and Northern Ireland have already announced fresh lockdowns once Christmas is over while the Scottish Government has said the option “remains on the table”.

Former health secretary Jeremy Hunt warned the situation was on a “knife-edge” with infections rising and hospital admissions on the increase.

Mr Hunt, who now chairs the Commons Health and Social Care Committee, said that if the Prime Minister did not want to change the regulations, he should at least consider issuing stricter guidance.

“It is a very difficult, finely-balanced judgment. The biggest worry is what happens indoor in family gatherings and that’s where the risks do increase,” he told the BBC Radio 4 programme.

“I think they can be clearer about what is and isn’t advisable because it would be an enormous tragedy if we had a spike in deaths at the end of January/February because we took our foot off the pedal this close to having a vaccine.”