More information about what a new tougher tier system will look like has been revealed by the Government.

What will and won't be permitted in different areas under the new coronavirus rules will differ depending on local levels and various other factors.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said today (Monday) that the new system will be a "uniform set of measures" with no local negotiations.

Here's what we know so far:

How will tiers be decided?

A number of factors will help determine what rules apply and where.

The main considerations will be:

•Analysis on cases in all age groups – especially the over 60s

•The percentage of people testing positive in any one area

•Infection rates and the direction of travel of the number of cases

•Current and projected pressure on NHS

These factors might suggest one of the higher levels for Leicester and Leicestershire.

Rates across the county and city are dropping, but remain high.

And, only last week Leicester's hospitals said frontline staff are now treating more patients now than they were at the pandemic's earlier peak in April.

What tiers were Leicester and Leicestershire in before?

Leicester and Oadby and Wigston were in tier 2 – or high alert levels – but weren't in the highest possible tier.

The rest of the county was in tier 1 – or medium alert.

But, it is worth remembering that both the city and county would likely have found themselves moving up a tier given the rise in rates and cases just before the second national lockdown started.

Will this lockdown definitely end next week?

According to the PM, yes. He said today: "From next Wednesday people will be able to leave their home for any purpose and meet others in outdoor public spaces, subject to the rule of six, collective worship, weddings and outdoor sports can resume, and shops, personal care, gyms and the wider leisure sector can reopen."

He went on to warn that restrictions will be in place until Spring. He added: "But without sensible precautions, we would risk the virus escalating into a winter or New Year surge.

"The incidents of the disease is, alas, still widespread in many areas.

"So we're not going to replace national measures with a free for all, the status quo anti-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."

When will we know what tiers Leicester and Leicestershire will be in?

Thursday. A full list of which area is subject to what restrictions will be released later this week.

Health secretary Matt Hancock today said this about the geography of the tiers: "Of course we have to look at the areas that people live and travel but at the same time, as we did previously, where it's clear that there is a genuine difference that isn't represented by administrative boundaries, then we will look at that.

"In the previous tiers we even split a borough in two, nevertheless, you do have to look at where people live and travel in order to get these decisions right."

What will the restrictions be in the new tiers?

Boris Johnson said this afternoon: "In Tier 1 people should work from home wherever possible.

"In Tier 2, alcohol may only be served in hospitality settings as part of a substantial meal.

"In Tier 3, indoor entertainment, hotels and other accommodation will have to close, along with all forms of hospitality except for delivery and takeaways."

What about Christmas?

Mr Johnson said talks continue on what the rules will look like. It's expected they will be announced tomorrow (Tuesday).

Talking about the festive season, the PM said: "We all want some kind of Christmas, we need it, we certainly feel we deserve it. But what we don't want is to throw caution to the wind.

"This virus is not going to grant a Christmas truce. Families will want to make a careful judgement about visiting relatives".

"2020 has been a tragic year.

"This will be a hard winter but we've turned a corner and the escape route is in sight.

"Christmas will not be normal and there will be a long road to Spring."

Will this all be over by Spring?

The PM says so. He said that breakthroughs with the vaccine and rapid testing will make the coronavirus restrictions obsolete.

People will 'be able to hug and hold hands again,' he told MPs before he added: "As soon as a vaccine is approved, we will dispense it as quickly as possible.

"But given that this can't be done immediately, we will simultaneously use rapid turnaround testing, the lateral flow testing that gives results within 30 minutes to identify those without symptoms so they can isolate and avoid transmission.

"We're beginning to deploy these tests in our NHS and in care homes in England so people will once again be able to hug and hold hands with loved ones instead of waving at them through a window."

Fewer than 400 cases have been confirmed in the city and county as new infections continue to slowly drop off.

Leicester saw 186 new cases added to its overall toll today while there were 203 new infections detected in the county – a combined total of 389 new cases.

There were 51 cases added in Charnwood.

More than 30 cases were confirmed in North West Leicestershire – 33, Oadby and Wigston – 32, and Blaby 31.

Harborough's toll increased by 25, Hinckley and Bosworth's by 20 and Melton's by 11.

Yesterday there were just over 440 cases added to city and county totals.

The new cases, updated today at 4pm, mean that the total number of cases across the city and county since the start of the pandemic area by area are :

Leicester: 16,535

Charnwood: 6,077

Hinckley and Bosworth: 2,380

North West Leicestershire: 2,145

The latest seven-day infection rates, area by area, are:

Leicester: 454.8 cases per 100,000

Charnwood: 305.1 cases per 100,000

Hinckley and Bosworth: 292.6 cases per 100,000

North West Leicestershire: 346.5 cases per 100,000