The government’s new three-tier coronavirus lockdown system aims to bring the virus under control through the new year – and hopefully before Christmas – a minister told Sky News.

Speaking to Kay Barley, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “The purpose of doing this is to make sure we are in control of the virus so that after Christmas we are in a position where it is under control.

“I really hope it will be sooner than this.”

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Mr Dowden said the government had to work to control “fast-growing cases” COVID-19 In different parts of the country

“The point of moving to this tiered system is that we have taken steps to control the virus in the worst-affected areas,” he said.

“If these measures are successful, we hope to be able to take territories from within these high-level restrictions.”

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will Describe the new system in detail He said this in a statement issued by the lawmakers while presiding over the meeting of the government’s emergency cobra committee at around 3.30 pm today.

He will then address the nation at a Downing Street press conference from 6 p.m., with Chancellor Ishii Sunak and Chief Medical Officer Professor Chris Whitty.

Areas in England will be identified as “moderate”, “high” or “very high” risk under the new system.

In the worst-hit areas, pubs, gyms and casinos are expected to be closed and necessary trips are expected to be banned, but restaurants and pubs will remain open to provide “plenty of food”.

A senior government source said there would be a “discretionary” arrangement between levels for local leaders.

Talks are ongoing with local leaders on which part of the country will face which restrictions.

Mearsid is expected to be included in the Tier 3 restrictions, but no agreement has yet been reached on a financial assistance package for the region.

True Lord, a nighttime economic adviser in Greater Manchester, has launched legal action to challenge the closure of hospitality and entertainment venues.

He said local leaders had not presented “any scientific evidence worthy of a complete cessation” of hospitality in the area.

The culture secretary said the ministers had “strong evidence to do so,” adding: “Evidence shows that the risk of infection is high in the management of hospitality. The United States has academic evidence.”

Manchester Central MP Lucy Powell of Labor argued: “The government and scientists have not yet presented this evidence.

“The biggest problem for them is that local leaders have the same data (actually better data for their region) and they know that hospitality settings create a very small proportion of infections.”