A third of the UK now live under heightened restrictions

As of 12:01 am on Saturday a third of the UK’s population entered lockdown across Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Warrington and Hartlepool.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pleaded with residents for patience as the country battles against the coronavirus pandemic.

People have been asked to avoid “all but essential travel,” and residents have been urged not to socially mix with people from other households, with the exception of outdoor spaces.

Heath Secretary Matt Hancock said these measures are essential as “in some parts of the country” coronavirus is “spreading fast.”

Johnson added, “I think everybody is fed up, I just urge people to be a little bit patient.

“We will get through it and we will save a load of lives, and that’s really the best I can say.

“I think there is a moral imperative to save life where you can.”

Foreign Office Minister James Cleverly said on Saturday morning that the government will only ease localised lockdowns When it is safe to do so.

Cleverly said “as soon as it was safe to do so” then we will start easing the lockdowns.

Johnson has hinted that the “rule of six” could be suspended to allow families to spend time together if we can get the R number below 1.

He said that the government are doing “everything we can” to ensure Christmas is a “normal as possible.”

Speaking to ITV Johnson was asked, is he saying that a family of five “cannot” have both grandparents’ overs for Christmas.

Johnson replied, “We’re not saying that at all.”

Johnson has also blamed Brits for being “blasé about transmission” which is now “exponentially” growing.

Johnson told BBC Scotland, “Alas, probably what happened since then is that everyone got a bit, kind of complacent and a bit blasé about transmission.

“The rules on social distancing weren’t perhaps obeyed in the way they could have been, or enforced in the way they could have been, and that’s why we’ve had to put in measures both in Scotland and elsewhere to bring it down again.”

Adding, “I’m afraid some of the muscle memory has faded and people are not following the guidance in the way that they should.”