Boris Johnson speech: What time is the prime minister speaking about easing lockdown, Christmas and the Oxford vaccine?

Boris Johnson is due to appear in a TV broadcast on Monday evening after announcing the new tiered coronavirus system to replace England’s lockdown on 2 December.

The prime minister presented the strengthened restrictions in Parliament earlier on Monday.

He will appear on TV with chief medical officer for England Chris Whitty and the director of the Oxford vaccine group Professor Andrew Pollard from 7pm.

The briefing comes as the Oxford vaccine showed up to 90% efficacy.

What has the PM already announced?

England’s regional tier system has been tightened up.

In Tier 1, the lowest rung of the coronavirus alert ladder, the advice will be to work from home where possible, Johnson said.

The prime minister said that in Tier 2, hospitality venues may only serve alcohol if it comes with a “substantial meal”.

Tier 3, the toughest of the local restrictions, will see indoor entertainment, hotels and accommodation and hospitality shut down – except for delivery and takeaway services.

Watch: What comes after England’s lockdown

The rules will be “uniform”, the prime minister said, and not require negotiations with local leaders, such as the bruising conflict with mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham.

The rule of six, which limits the size of gatherings, will remain.

Last orders in pubs will be pushed back an hour, with those businesses having to close at 11pm instead of 10pm.

In Tiers 1 and 2, spectator sports and businesses events can return but with limits to capacity and social distancing.

Local authorities will also have “specially trained officers” with powers to shut businesses that “pose a risk to public health”.

Why have these changes been brought in?

The previous system also had areas placed into a set of three levels of restrictions.

Tier 1, the lowest, had the rule of six for gatherings and a 10pm curfew for pubs and restaurants, while Tier 2 also banned different households from mixing indoors.

Tier 3, the highest set of restrictions, banned social mixing inside and in private gardens, and pubs and bars were ordered to shut unless they could function as restaurants.

Johnson said to the House of Commons: “We’re not going to replace national measures with a free for all, the status quo ante-COVID, we’re going to go back instead to a regional tiered approach – applying the toughest measures where COVID is most prevalent.

“And while the previous local tiers did cut the R number, they were not quite enough to reduce it below one.

“So the scientific advice, I’m afraid, is that as we come out our tiers need to be made tougher.”

Ministers are expected to finalise which places will be in which set of restrictions on Thursday.

What is the plan for Christmas?

Families will be able to enjoy Christmas together across the whole of the UK under a plan to let people celebrate with their families.

Leaders from all four nations agreed restrictions should be harmonised "for a small number of days" over the period.

Several different households may be allowed to bubble together between 24 and 28 December, it was confirmed on Sunday, although the exact number has not been finalised.

When is Boris Johnson speaking?

The TV briefing will be held at 7pm, and Johnson will be joined by chief medical officer for England Chris Whitty and the director of the Oxford vaccine group Professor Andrew Pollard.

The vaccine, developed by the University of Oxford and AstraZeneca, has shown 70.4% efficacy in trials, but if a patient is first given a low dose and then a second full one the efficacy rises to 90%.

Johnson will be taking part in the briefing remotely as he is self-isolating.

Watch: Can you catch coronavirus twice?

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