Christmas: More areas of England to enter Tier four on Boxing Day

Millions more people in the east and south east of England will enter the toughest Tier four restrictions on Boxing Day.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, saying that Tier three is not enough to control the new variant of coronavirus that is spreading in parts of the country.

Many areas currently in Tier two are also now being moved into Tier three.

The health secretary also announced new quarantine measures for anyone who has travelled from South Africa in the past fortnight and people they they have been in close contact with.

Which areas will move into Tier Four?

These areas will move to Tier four from midnight on the 26 December.

Which areas will move into Tier Three?

Warnings of new variant found in travellers from South Africa

Anyone who has been in South Africa and anyone who is a close contact of someone who has been in South Africa in the last fortnight must quarantine immediately, he says.

Mr Hancock now says there are two cases of another new variant in the UK, which are thought to have travelled from South Africa.

"We are incredibly grateful to the South African government for their science," he says.

"This virus is yet more transmissible and appears to have mutated further than the new virus."

He says the UK is quarantining new cases, and placing restrictions on travel from South Africa.