The Prime Minister is set to announce details of new Covid-19 guidelines and how they will be implemented when the second lockdown ends on Wednesday, December 2.

Richmond and wider London was in Tier 2 when the second national lockdown was imposed.

PM Boris Johnson will brief the nation this afternoon (Monday, November 23) and it may not be until Thursday that Richmond knows which tier it is placed in as further evaluations are undertaken.

Mr Johnson has indicated that a number of areas that were in Tier 1 pre-lockdown may be lifted into Tier 2.

It is expected that Richmond and the borough will remain in Tier 2, with possible stricter restrictions imposed.

Some of the things anticipated

• gyms and non-essential shops will be allowed to reopen when England's lockdown ends.
• while parts of the tier system may be tougher, the 10pm closing time for pubs and restaurants will be relaxed.
• the ban on outdoor grassroots sport is also set to be lifted.

What about testing?

Mr Johnson is also expected to announce that mass testing will be introduced in all Tier 3 areas. Rapid 'lateral flow' testing, as first used in Liverpool and which is coming to Richmond, will form part of the stricter system.

Testing will also be rolled out for care home visitors across England from next month - with every care home resident able to have two visitors tested twice a week.

It means people who live in care homes will be able to hug relatives by the end of the year, the government has said.

More areas are set to be placed in the higher tiers - high risk or very high risk - after lockdown, No 10 has said.

Will anything be changing for Christmas?

The PM had hoped to announce arrangements for the Christmas period today, but this has been delayed until at least Tuesday to allow the Scottish and Welsh cabinets to agree the plans.

It comes after the government said the UK's four nations had backed plans to allow some household mixing "for a small number of days" over Christmas.

It has been reported that one option that was discussed in meetings this weekend was that three households could be allowed to meet up for up to five days.

When can we expect to hear the announcement today?

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is due to make a statement in the House of Commons at around 3.30pm, followed by a national television briefing from Downing Street at 5pm.

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