Please see below, the key updates from the PM’s announcement this evening that we will be returning to a national lockdown:

- Stay at home (exceptions include shopping for essentials, outdoor exercise, medical support and escaping domestic violence)

- Continue to work from home where possible

- Primary & Secondary schools to return to online learning (open for vulnerable children and children of critical workers). Nurseries remain open and universities to remain online for most courses (details in link below)

- Exams will not go ahead (will share details of alternative arrangements as soon as available)

- Shielding will begin again (letters to be sent very shortly with details). Support bubbles can remain in place.

This is not a position any of us wanted to find ourselves in again, but it has become clear that in the face of the new variant that is spreading much faster - we have no alternative but to act now if we want to try and save as many lives as possible. In England alone the number of Covid patients in hospitals has increased by nearly a third in the last week, to 27,000.

We should also remember that over one million vaccinations have been given so far, and good progress is being made to establish new centres every day. It is ultimately through the vaccine that we will crush this virus, and while I know it may not feel like it now, we are on way towards doing this.

So again, we ask you in the meantime to please stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives.