THE Prime Minister has set out a new three-tier system of local lockdown measures for England, in an effort to curb rising Covid-19 rates.

The system will comprise three alert levels ­— medium, high, and very high ­— which Boris Johnson says "simplifies and standardises" coronavirus restrictions.

The medium alert level, which will cover most of the country, will comprise the current national measures, such as the 10pm curfew and the rule of six.

The Isle of Wight has been classed as 'medium risk' under the latest three-tier system of coronavirus restrictions.

The high level, meanwhile, will see a prevention of all social mixing between households indoors, and a rule of six will apply outdoors.

Johnson says most areas already subject to local restrictions will automatically move into the high alert level.

The very high alert level, he says, will apply where transmission rates are rising most rapidly, and where the NHS could be under "unbearable pressure" without further restrictions.

In these areas, the government will set a baseline of prohibiting social mixing indoors and in private gardens, closing pubs and bars.

The Prime Minister says the number of cases have quadrupled in the last three weeks, and that there are now more people in hospital with Covid than when we went into lockdown in March.

He says returning to a full national lockdown would not be the right course, depriving children of their education and doing too much damage our economy.

The Prime Minister will address the nation at 7pm this evening, relaying the latest information.