What will the new 'three-tier’ local lockdown levels mean for schools and universities?

Different parts of the country will be split up into three coronavirus alert levels under new plans to be revealed in a statement to the House of Commons.

It comes after the Prime Minister held a telephone conference with colleagues in Cabinet yesterday to discuss the situation and ongoing negotiations with local leaders in the North of England, where coronavirus infection rates are higher.

According to leaked documents, areas with the highest proportion of Covid-19 will be classed as ‘alert level three’ - the most serious.

The three levels would also be branded by the traffic light colours, with red being alert level three.

What are the tiers under the new system?

Green alert (level one) - These are restrictions that have already been implemented by government.

The 'Rule of six' in public and indoors, face masks mandatory in shops, pubs, restaurants and and on transport, plus a 10pm curfew for hospitality establishments, and only 15 people at weddings, 30 at funerals.

Amber alert (level two) – This level has already been implemented in local lockdown areas, such as the North East, and would mean no social contact indoors, including homes or hospitality establishments, or in private gardens with people outside of your bubbles. Only essential journeys are allowed.

Red alert (level three) – This would be the next step implemented by government should cases and the infection rate continue to sky-rocket.

There would be a ban on social contact with anyone not in your household. Pubs, restaurants and leisure businesses would be asked to close once again, and some sports, such as bowling, would also be banned.

What do the new tiers mean for schools, colleges and universities?

Although the full details are yet to be confirmed, schools have not been mentioned in the draft.

A government source said this was because Boris Johnson had made clear that classroom closures would be a last resort and the reopening of schools was considered within Whitehall to have been a relative success.

It remains unclear whether the same can be said for colleges and universities.