England may begin new year in lockdown as COVID variant continues to spread

England could immediately head into a full lockdown in 2021, the latest reports have suggested.

Sky News has said the nation is ‘on notice‘ for a third lockdown due to the spread of the new variant of COVID-19, which has already forced London and large parts of the south east into tough Tier 4 measures.

There is evidence that the mutated coronavirus has now found its way into other corners of the country, with the strain having recently been identified in Cumbria,

A review of the tier system is due on Wednesday 30 December, and the government’s chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, says that tighter measures will be needed as the virus “likely” spreads further.

Vallance stated: “I think it is likely that this will grow in numbers of the variant across the country and I think it’s likely, therefore, that measures will need to be increased in some places, in due course, not reduced.”

According to Sky, more regions will be added to Tier 4 when the review is made on 30 December, with new measures enforced in the New Year.

More than 40 countries have cut themselves off from the UK after learning of the mutant strain – with France also shutting its borders on Sunday.

UK and French leaders are desperately attempting to thrash out a plan to safely reopen the ports and tunnels – with over 945 lorries currently waiting backed up near Dover.