Hertfordshire will be placed in Tier 2 of the Government’s strengthened three-tiered system when lockdown ends on December 2.

It means restrictions will be tougher in the county than what they were before the full lockdown was imposed, including a ban on different households mixing indoors.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock outlined which tiers authorities will fall into in the Commons this morning.

A list published by the Government shows Hertfordshire will be in Tier 2.

The Government has also published a postcode checker to show people in local authorities which Tier they are in.

The announcement today means pubs and bars in Hertfordshire will remain closed after lockdown unless operating as restaurants, while different households mixing indoors will also be banned.

It was expected that the county would be placed into Tier 2, with most areas in the county still reporting more than 100 cases per week per 100,000 population.

Before the full lockdown was imposed on November 5, Hertfordshire had been placed in tier one but had been on the verge of moving into tier two.

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Case rates have dropped over the last week, but most districts in the county remain higher than what they had been under the tier system in October.

Mr Hancock said: “Thanks to the hard work and sacrifice made by people up and down the country, we are able to move out of national lockdown and into more targeted local, tiered restrictions.

“I know for those of you faced with Tier 3 restrictions this will be a particularly difficult time but I want to reassure you that we’ll be supporting your areas with mass community testing and extra funding.

“By following the rules together we can get out of these tough measures.”