A new tier four was created to contain the more infectious strain of Covid-19 in the South and the government was forced to move some areas up a tier on Boxing Day - before the formal review date on Wednesday.
Before Christmas, health chiefs in Lancashire said they believed the new variant may already be in the county - although this has not been publicly confirmed.
However, despite the county seeing infection rates rise in December, local leaders said there was no need for tier four restrictions here.
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According to the latest data form Public Health England, cases rose in Preston following the end of the second national lockdown - and the return to tier three - but far less quickly than before and infection rates appear to have started to level off.
By December 21, the infection rate for the previous seven days had fallen in 6 Preston neighbourhoods compared to the week ending November 30 - the last full seven day period in lockdown.
They are: Brookfield & Holme Slack, Grimsargh & Goosnargh, Longsands, Plungington & University, Ribbleton, and St Matthew's.
Meanwhile, 10 places in the city had higher rates than three weeks earlier.
They are: Ashton-on-Ribble & Larches, Broughton & Wychnor, Cadley & College, Frenchwood & Fishwick, Fulwood, Haslam Park, Ingol, Lea & Marina, Moor Park, and Preston Town Centre.
And one, St George's, had the exact same infection rate - 235.6 - in both weeks.