England's new tougher COVID-19 tier system explained as lockdown enters final week.

England’s national lockdown is due to end on 2nd December and a new stricter tier system will be introduced in its place.

Similar to before the lockdown, local areas will be placed under one of three tiers depending on the spread of coronavirus. Though this new system will be tougher in some aspects than before.

In the first tier, which represents the lowest threat from the virus, an 11 pm curfew will apply to pubs and restaurants, all businesses will be able to open their doors, 15 guests will be allowed at weddings and 30 people will be able to go to funerals. All social distancing and mask-wearing rules will also apply and the rule of six.

In the second tier, households will not be able to meet indoors, people will be told not to travel unless necessary, pubs must serve substantial meals to stay open and outside drinkers will also now have to have a meal with their drinks. Schools, gyms, places and worship will remain open.

Tier three, which represents the highest alert level, will ban all household mixing indoors and outdoors, all pubs and restaurants will be forced to close unless they serve takeaway only, wedding receptions will be banned, and local authorities will decide whether to close gyms, casinos and other businesses.

Non-essential shops will be able to open throughout all tiers, in a major relief for the retail industry.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland will continue with their own specific coronavirus restrictions. Across the country, there will also be a break from bans on households mixing over Christmas for five days. It is expected that most areas will be under tier 2 and 3 restrictions. The government will announce on Thursday which tiers local areas will be placed under.

Read more: Tier 3 restrictions will be enough to control coronavirus spread as Tier 4 ditched, Matt Hancock confirms - www.thesun.co.uk/news/13271180/tier-4-lockdown-rules-beefed-up-coronavirus-hancock-u/

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