Boris Johnson announcement: When the PM is expected to announce new restrictions for Chesterfield

The Prime Minister is expected to impose tougher restrictions for areas such as Derbyshire which have been worst-hit by coronavirus today, in an attempt to slow the spread of the virus across the country.

Areas in the Midlands such as Birmingham have been teetering on the edge of harsher local lockdown restrictions for the last two weeks and with a rising number of cases in Derbyshire, towns such as Chesterfield are likely to be affected by new measures.

Ministers are said to be considering similar strict new measures for swathes of northern England, amid concerns the virus is spreading out of control.

When will Boris Johnson make the announcement?

Boris Johnson is expected to make a formal announcement of new measures in a statement to MPs on today (Monday, October 12).

The Prime Minister is scheduled to address representatives at around 3.30pm, by announcing the new three-tier system of “local COVID alert levels” across England.

This will come after a COBRA meeting this morning in which the details of the proposed three-stage lockdown system will be finalised.

At around 6pm, Mr Johnson will host a televised press conference alongside Chief Medical Officer Chris Whitty and Chancellor Rishi Sunak, to address the public and answer questions.

“This is a critical juncture and it is absolutely vital that everyone follows the clear guidance we have set out to help contain the virus,” Downing Street said.

What are the current restrictions in Derbyshire?

There are currently no local lockdown restrictions in Chesterfield or across Derbyshire at present, despite the number of people contracting the virus in the region increasing.

In two Chesterfield neighbourhoods, there were almost 20 new coronavirus cases in the last week according to data from Public Health England.

Chesterfield Royal Hospital announced they have created space for extra beds in case of new Covid-19 patients as part of a 'precautionary measure' to prepare for the second wave.

What is the current infection rate in Derbyshire?

In Chesterfield, there has been a total of 796 positive coronavirus cases across the town since the pandemic began back in February, with a rate of 758.8 cases per 100,000 people.

From September 30 to October 6, there were 112 new Covid-19 cases in the town – an increase of 90 compared to the week before.

There are 107 positive tests in every 100,000 people in Chesterfield, according to the latest Public Health England data – while England has an average of 74.

What measures could be implemented in a three-tier lockdown?

In an effort to address the rising infection rates, the Prime Minister will likely introduce a three-tier system for local lockdowns, which would see different parts of England placed into different categories.

Areas that fall into tier one will have fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 of population and will continue to follow national restrictions, such as the "rule of six" and social distancing.

Those in tier two include areas where cases are above 100 per 100,000, with restrictions to be similar to those currently in place in large parts of northern England, including bans on household meetings.

Areas placed into tier three would include those with significantly higher infection rates and will likely face a full lockdown, which would see pubs, cafes and restaurants forced to close.

Will pubs and restaurants close?

Mr Johnson is expected to order tougher restrictions in swathes of the Midlands and northern England, with the worst affected areas facing the possible closure of pubs and restaurants.

Cities including Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle will most likely see hospitality venues forced to shut, as infection rates in these areas continue to soar.

However, a final decision on the time period or extent of the potential closures has not yet been confirmed.

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