Boris Johnson is reportedly set to decide today whether to implement tougher Covid-19 restrictions lasting for months, as he faces urgent calls to introduce a national lockdown. The Government’s key ‘Covid-O’ committee, which oversees coronavirus restrictions, is reportedly set to meet today to decide changes to the coronavirus system.

A  Government source last night said ministers are considering putting yet more areas of England under the strictest tier four measures. Currently, 44 million people – about three-quarters of the country – are living under the measures which include a strict ‘stay at home’ message, with only essential retail permitted to open.

Further reports suggest England could be plunged into its third national lockdown by the middle of January and could last until at least Easter, according to The Telegraph. The paper reported that plans for shielding to return for all vulnerable people in England are also reportedly being drawn up by the Government, while a further announcement on schools could be made by the end of this week.

Matt Hancock this morning refused to rule out a third national lockdown amid spiralling Covid-19 cases and hospital admissions, with the UK yesterday recording over 50,000 new cases for the sixth consecutive day. When questioned about Sir Keir Starmer’s calls to the prime minister to introduce a lockdown within the next 24 hours, the health secretary responded: ‘We don’t rule anything out’.

He said the virus is ‘clearly out of control’ and told the PM to act urgently today instead of waiting to implement measures. ‘The Prime Minister is hinting at it, but he’s not doing it. We can’t afford that delay again,’ said the opposition leader. ‘Let’s not have the prime minister saying “I’m going to do it, but not yet”, that’s the problem he has made so many times.’

He said further schools closures were ‘inevitable’ and that a plan needed to be put in place for children’s learning now – but stopped short of calling for all schools to close on Monday so as to avoid further disruption. His calls came shortly after Mr Johnson warned the tier system was ‘probably about to get tougher’ and said harsher restrictions were needed in ‘many parts of the country’.

The PM said despite the vaccines ‘coming down the track in their tens of millions’ harsh measures may be implemented in the ‘weeks ahead’ – but refused to comment on reports of the introduction of a fifth tier. In response to the Labour leader’s comments, a Number 10 source said: ‘The Prime Minister has been consistently clear that we are driven by the need to protect the NHS and save lives – unlike Labour who have spent the last ten months playing party politics.