Covid-19 tier 4: Peterborough moving to tougher restrictions

Peterborough has the highest infection rate in Cambridgeshire, with 321.4 cases per 100,000 people

Peterborough is to go into the new tougher tier four Covid restrictions from 00:01 GMT on Sunday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the changes after being presented with information about a new variant of coronavirus.

The city had been in tier three - very high alert. The rest of Cambridgeshire remains in tier two.

Peterborough has a coronavirus infection rate of 321.4 cases per 100,000 of the population.

It recorded 650 cases in the week to 14 December, compared to 445 the week before, a 46% rise.

Peterborough joins all of London and parts of the east and south east moving to the new, higher level of alert.

The planned relaxation of Covid-19 rules for Christmas has also been scrapped for these areas and cut to just Christmas Day for the rest of England.

• What is tier four and who is in it?

• Who can you see at Christmas?

• Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire move to tier 4

In tier four, the latest restrictions mean people cannot mix indoors with anyone not from their household and social mixing will be cut to meeting one person in an open public space.

A stay-at-home order will be issued to residents, with those travelling to work or for education exempt.

Tier three restrictions had meant that pubs and restaurants, except for takeaways, and indoor entertainment venues had to shut.

Now in tier four, all non-essential retail will have to close, along with hairdressers, nail bars, indoor gyms and leisure facilities.

People will be advised not to travel into a tier four area.

The decision follows information about the new variant of coronavirus, which has been identified and is known as VUI.

The restrictions will last for two weeks, with the first review due on 30 December.