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But which criteria will determine whether the new Tier 3 restrictions, under which pubs and restaurants must stay close but shops can open, will apply or if South Yorkshire will be placed in a lower tier?

Boris Johnson has said the coronavirus infection rate, the rate among over-60s and the speed at which cases are rising and falling will all be taken into account.

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The Prime Minister added that the percentage of people being tested who are positive for Covid-19 and the pressure on the NHS locally would also be considered, with other factors potentially being looked at too.

“The criteria we use to decide who went into which tier would be case detection rates in all groups, case detection rates in the over-60s, the rate at which cases are rising or falling, positivity rates and pressure on the NHS,” said Mr Johnson.

“So those are some of the criteria that we will use.”

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps added the Government will decide which tier each region is placed in after December 2 based on “the number of cases” in each area, but particularly the numbers of people aged over 60 testing positive for the virus.

He said although half the country may be placed in Tier 3 alert level, this will still allow for more freedoms than the national lockdown currently in place for England.

Mr Shapps said: “I think it is the case that we do need to be a bit tighter on the tiers – Tier 3 in more places is a strong possibility – but there’s still a difference between that and what we’re doing now.

“For example, in terms of the number of people that can meet outside in a public place, and a number of other things.”

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That total number of Covid-19 patients is similar to during the first peak, when there were more people in intensive care back, but it is down slightly from 299 at the beginning of November.

In the North East and Yorkshire, the latest R rate – which shows how quickly coronavirus is spreading – is estimated to be 1.0-1.1, which is the same as the England-wide estimate.