THE Prime Minister has laid out a roadmap for how England will leave its national lockdown on December 2.

Boris Johnson told the House of Commons his plan for a new, stricter system of regional restrictions when the current national lockdown ends at the start of next month.

Mr Johnson said that the ‘scientific cavalry is now in sight’, referring to the announcements that several Covid vaccines had proved highly effective.

But he said before vaccine rollout began, the UK needed to ‘get through a winter without the virus getting out of control and squandering our hard won gains’.

The new regional restrictions are a revised version of the system of tiers formally introduced in October, before England went into a nationwide lockdown.

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Under tier one of the new system, people will have to stick to the rule of six if they are meeting up with other people indoors or outdoors, though they will be able to visit other people’s homes.

Gyms, leisure centres, shops and hospitality businesses will also be able to open.

Under Tier 2 of the beefed-up restrictions, hospitality businesses will only be able to serve alcohol with a ‘substantial meal’.

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And under Tier 3 all indoor entertainment venues, pubs, restaurants and cafes will have to close apart from delivery, much the same as under the current lockdown.

The Prime Minister also warned that more areas are likely to be placed into higher tiers of the restrictions once lockdown ends.

He said each area’s tier would be based on ‘analysis of cases in all age groups, rate of rise or fall, percentage who have Covid and current and projected pressures on the NHS’.

Mr Johnson also said the Government is working with the devolved administrations in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland to provide ‘special dispensation’ for families to meet at Christmas.

He said: “I can’t say that Christmas will be normal this year but in a period of adversity time spent with our loved ones is more precious for people of all faiths and none.”