UK will come out of the blockade on 2 December - that is legal certainty

Covid's Restriction Levels System implemented in the UK was successful

Community Secretary Robert Jenrick insisted that England will emerge from the blockade on 2 December, but admitted that the planned return to staged measures remained "under review"

Dr Hopkins, an epidemiologist, said that the localised measures had significantly different impacts according to their level of severity.

"Level 3, and especially level 3 plus in the North, has had an effect on reducing the number of cases in the North West and we can see the number of cases in the North West now declining," she said.

"Level 2 seems to hold up in some areas and not so well in others, so it really depends on how fast transmission is taking place and how well individuals in the population are taking that advice.

"We see very little effect from Tier 1 and I think when we look at what levels there may be in the future, we will have to think about strengthening them to get through the winter months until the vaccine is available to everyone. ”