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When do the new tiers start in England?

 (Getty Images)
(Getty Images)

England has returned to a stricter three-tier system today as the second nationwide lockdown of the year has come to an end. It began at midnight on 5 November and finished at 00.01 on Wednesday morning.

Different parts of the country have been allocated different tiers (medium, high or very high) depending on the rates of coronavirus infection in the local area.

The majority of areas have been placed in either tiers 2 or 3, with just three regions in tier 1: the Isle of Wight, Cornwall, and the Isles of Scilly.

Read more: What are the rules for tier 1 areas?

Moving back into the tier system once again means adjusting to a new set of rules and restrictions, but when exactly did lockdown lift and the tiered system begin? Here’s everything you need to know about the transition.

Does lockdown include 2 December?

The current lockdown restrictions ended at midnight on Tuesday 1 December. The government website says: "The new rules will come into effect from the beginning of Wednesday 2 December."

This means that from 00.01 on Wednesday 2 December, the country returned to a stricter three tier system.

The government website states: "The current national restriction rules are still in place until 2 December and must be followed until they expire."

Areas placed in tier 2 include London, Somerset, York, and Cheshire.

Meanwhile, those in tier 3 include Bristol, Manchester, and Birmingham.

How long will the tier system continue for?

The government has said that the tier system will be reviewed every 14 days.

If coronavirus infections have dropped substantially in a local area, its tier allocation could be lowered.

However, this will also depend on a number of factors, such as the number of local hospital admissions for coronavirus and the R-number.

The tier system has been scheduled to run until the end of March, however, Boris Johnson has now offered MPs a “sunset clause” that would end the system early in a bid to quell a growing rebellion on his own backbenches in the Tory party.

What tier am I in?

If you want to find out what tier your local area falls under there are a number of ways you can check.

There is a postcode search available on the government website, while the NHS Covid 19 app will show which local alert level applies in which area.

You could also refer to a full list here of which areas have been allocated to which tiers.

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