NEARLY half of the country is under the toughest Covid tier restrictions to stop the spread of the virus, but a new tier could be on the horizon to tackle the new strain.

National coronavirus restrictions are needed to prevent a “catastrophe” amid rising infections, an expert has warned, as England’s hospitals deal with more Covid-19 patients than during the April peak of the first wave.

The North-East is currently under Tier 3, the second-most stringent of restrictions, while North Yorkshire is in Tier 2.

A further 699 people in the North-East reported a positive Covid test as of Monday, December 28, bringing the total number of cases in the region to 119,184.

A review of the tier system is expected tomorrow, December 30, while the country grapples with a new strain of Covid, leading many to speculate the announcement of Tier 5.

Experts recommend, if national measures are introduced, the likes of secondary schools, pubs and non-essential shops should close.

Tier 5, though it may not be called that, would be tougher than current Tier 4 restrictions in a move to "near lockdown" as the country gets to grips with the third wave of Covid. 

Tighter measures are required to tackle the new variant of the virus, which is the main reason for the increase in cases, said Professor Andrew Hayward, of the Government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threats Advisory Group (Nervtag).

Prof Hayward, professor of infectious diseases epidemiology at University College London, said widespread Tier 4 restrictions – or even higher – are likely to be needed.

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think we are entering a very dangerous new phase of the pandemic and we’re going to need decisive, early, national action to prevent a catastrophe in January and February.

“A 50 per cent increase in transmissibility means that the previous levels of restrictions that worked before won’t work now, and so Tier 4 restrictions are likely to be necessary or even higher than that.

“I think we’re really looking at a situation where we’re moving into near-lockdown, but we’ve got to learn the lessons from the first lockdown.”

Meanwhile, a senior Whitehall source also indicated there will be a Tier 5 announcement. 

They told the Express newspaper: “We are ruling nothing out, the new strain is of serious concern. Tier 4 appears to not be strong enough."

It comes as pressure is continuing to mount on the Government to delay further the reopening of secondary schools in January amid concerns about their contribution to rising cases.

Sage has reportedly advised that the R-rate could be kept below 1 if schools remained closed in January.

But Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove said the Government is still set on staggering the reopening of schools as planned but warned of "trade-offs".

Prof Hayward said he thought schools would have to return “maybe a little bit later” but that it would mean “we’re going to have to have increased, strict restrictions in other areas of society to pay for that”.

“We need to be more or less in a similar sort of messages of stay at home unless you really, really have to, so there’s that combined with incentivisation of testing, incentivisation of isolation – those sorts of things that will carry us through the next few months while we get as many people as possible vaccinated.”

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said that a “clear plan” is now needed, as opposed to more soundbites from the Government and the adding of tiers.

He told the Commons: “To govern is indeed to choose, but the Prime Minister and indeed (Matt Hancock) have come to this despatch box week after week and told us they are following the science.

“So what precise moment did the Prime Minister stop following the science? And indeed, I’m sorry to say, Sage advised the Government to take action in March, but the Prime Minister was too slow.

“Now, after the Prime Minister spoke, we see yet again he is being advised to take action and has so far refused. But it’s the same virus, the same delays, the same country and the same government making the same mistakes again.

“Our constituents will ask is history repeating itself? Because if these tiers don’t work, then what? Tier 4? Tier 5? What’s the plan? Well, there isn’t one. We had whack-a-mole, a fairground game but it was never a strategy.

“It was just a soundbite from the circus ring showman. We’ve had exaggerated claims, complaints when challenged, a lack of transparency with the public but now further action and a clear plan is needed.”