Prime Minister: Covid hospital admissions 'flashing like dashboard warnings in a passenger jet'

In a live press conference this evening, the PM also said the new three tier Covid alert levels were being introduced to “squash this virus wherever it appears”.

“We are today simplifying, standardising and in some places toughening local rules in England by introducing three levels of Covid alert,” he told the Downing Street briefing.

He added: “Nowhere will be shut down indefinitely.”

And he stated: “No one affected by this will be left to fend for themselves”, with the Government having previously announced new financial assistance.

“No one least of all me wants to impose these kinds of restrictions, erosions of our personal liberty, but I’m convinced as I’ve ever been that the British people have the resolve to beat this virus and that together we will do just that,”

The Prime Minister said that cases have gone up four times in four weeks and that there are more Covid-19 patients in UK hospitals than on March 23 and deaths are rising.

“These figures are flashing at us like dashboard warnings in a passenger jet and we must act now,” he said.

The new restrictions see local areas being put into three tiers – Tier 3 (very high), Tier 2 (high) and Tier 1 (medium).

So far, only Liverpool has been placed in Tier 3 with South Yorkshire placed into Tier 2 lockdown.