COVID-19: Tier 4 lockdown announced for London and most of South East - with Christmas bubbles cancelled for millions

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Most people in the South East will no longer be able to mix with other households at Christmas


Millions of people across southeast England will no longer be able to mix with other households at Christmas, with a new Tier 4 level of COVID restrictions - equivalent to a full lockdown - to come into force tomorrow.

In a dramatic move, prompted by fears over a new strain of coronavirus, all those areas currently in Tier 3 in the South East - including London - will move to the new Tier 4 on Sunday.

And, in further stark action across the rest of England, Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced the planned five-day easing of restrictions over the festive period will now be limited to a single day.

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"Given the early evidence we have on this new variant of the virus, and the potential risk it poses, it is with a heavy heart that I must tell you we cannot continue with Christmas as planned," he said at a Downing Street news conference on Saturday.

The Tier 4 measures will see all non-essential shops, gyms, and hairdressers close, with people ordered to stay home apart from limited exceptions such as work - if people cannot work from home - education, childcare and exercise.

People in Tier 4 areas will no longer be allowed to form "Christmas bubbles" with other households.