The infection rates that could decide which lockdown 'tier' Harrogate and North Yorkshire are placed in

The numbers could determine what tier the areas are placed in and what level of restrictions apply when Boris Johnson announces a new three-tier system later today.

According to the stats that relate up to 5 October, Harrogate has a seven-day infection rate of 98 cases per 100,000 people.

The figure for North Yorkshire is 92, while the average for England is 93.

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The Prime Minister has chaired a meeting of the government’s COBRA committee this morning to finalise what will be announced in Parliament this afternoon.

It has already been confirmed that Liverpool - which has the country's second highest infection rate of 600 - will be under Tier 3 restrictions.

What is Tier 3?

Tier 3 restrictions mean that pubs, bars, gyms, casinos and adult gaming centres must be immediately shut.

Local lockdown restrictions must be agreed between government and local council leaders before being announced and applied.

Documents leaked to the media earlier this month suggested tier three would include no social contact outside your own household in any setting and restrictions on overnight stays away from home.

No organised non-professional sports or other communal hobby groups or activities would be permitted, the document also said.

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What is Tier 2 lockdown?

Downing Street said the government is working with local leaders to determine the areas to be covered by the very high alert level, and the measures needed in those places.

Tier 2 is likely to retain the ban on household mixing and a curfew/limited pub and restaurant hours, but would not go as far as closing pubs entirely.

Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said on Sunday that the government has been "designing" restrictions for Covid-19 hotspots "in conjunction with people who know those places best".

Asked on what basis areas will move between tiers, he said a range of different factors have been taken into account.

Cases per 100,000 are "significant" - but also hospitalisations and the nature of infections, he said.

"Though the number of cases is rising rapidly across the country there are still huge variations," he said.

"So, it is right that we pursue a localised approach. That must be the way forward because none of us want to see a return to blanket national measures - that would be the alternative."

What is Tier 1?

Tier one restrictions are thought to be the baseline restrictions in place across England, including a 10pm hospitality curfew and a ban on most gatherings of more than six people.

By Jacob Webster, Local Democracy Reporter