But last night, Prime Minister Boris Jonson said that the best approach for the whole of the UK is "a national lockdown that is tough enough to contain this variant."
Our photographer NEIL CROSS went along to Preston city centre to see what difference the announcement had made.
13.
Due to disruption in schools, the Prime Minister conceded that it was "not fair" for exams to go ahead as normal in summer. He said alternative arrangements will be made for students affected
14.
Those entitled to free school meals will still receive them during lockdown, and more tech devices will be given to children who need them, in order to support remote education
15.
Pre-empting criticism about even allowing schools to reopen after the Christmas holidays, the Prime Minister said: "We have been doing everything within our power to keep education open
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"The problem is not that schools are unsafe for children."