Following the announcement by Health Secretary Matt Hancock today (December 17) Kenilworth and the rest of Warwickshire will remain in tier three of the three-tiered restrictions for dealing with Covid-19

Kenilworth and the county had emerged from the second national lockdown in tier three – 'Very High Risk' - after the previous announcement on November 26 despite the region being in tier one - 'Medium' risk – beforehand.

Infection rates in the Warwick district had been steadily on the decline since the start of the second national lockdown, however this week it was reported that there had been an increase from 106 to 123 cases per 100,000 in the district.

However, Kenilworth and Warwick district have been amalgamated with the rest of Warwickshire as well as Coventry and Solihull, the latter two having been in local lockdown before the second national lockdown was announced.

Criticism over Kenilworth's tier allocation has been wide ranging, with MP for Kenilworth and Southam Jeremy Wright voting against the UK Government for the first time in a decade over the issue.

Mr Wright said in parliament on December 1 that "It is very difficult to explain to our constituents why tomorrow morning they will be waking up to tier three restrictions, the infection rates in Warwickshire were higher when we went into the Lockdown in November in tier one then it is when we come out of it in tier three, and in my constituency in South Warwickshire, even lower."

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said following the initial announcement of tiers at the end of November "robust evidence" of continued decline of infection rates in a region must be shown before an area would be moved down a tier.

As Kenilworth remains in tier three, the following rules will continue to be in place

• Households will not be allowed to mix indoors or outdoors in private gardens or hospitality venues.
• The 'Rule of Six' will apply outdoors in public spaces.
• Pubs and restaurants will be closed except for takeaway and delivery.
• Indoor entertainment venues will be closed, only drive-in events allowed.
• Guidance against travelling outside the area
• Schools will remain open.
• Weddings and Civil Ceremonies allowed 15 guests, but receptions not allowed.
• Up to 30 people allowed at funerals.
• Outdoor sport can recommence; indoor sport is only permissible with members of one household.

The new rules and the tiers will continue to be assessed every two weeks, the next coming in the final week of December.

Mr Johnson has also promised MPs that the current regulations will have a "sunset of 3 February."

However, that have been pervasive fears that the relaxed rules over Christmas would lead to a spike in infections in early January.

Mr Hancock told Parliament that there are 18,038 people in hospital with coronavirus across the UK and he said it had to be borne in mind that the winter months were always the most difficult for people's health.

Therefore, the government is exercising caution over tier movement and only two areas are being moved down a tier as a result of falling infection rates; Bristol and North Somerset will move into tier two and Herefordshire will move from tier two to tier one.

But several areas, including Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire have been placed into tier three, which means a total of 38 million people in England will be living under the highest Covid-19 restrictions from this Saturday.

"We've come so far, we mustn't blow it now," said the Health Secretary.